US-Iran negotiations continue without high-level talks, Qatari Foreign Ministry says

Negotiations between the United States and Iran continue, even without direct high-level discussions, the Qatari Foreign Affairs Ministry reported. Dr. Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, affirmed that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Doha as part of ongoing talks concerning Iran and Lebanon.

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Though a ceasefire and an MoU exist, such guarantees are contingent on the realities on the ground, reiterating Qatar's goal of ending the war.

While Al-Ansari emphasized the absence of high-level negotiations, he confirmed that technical meetings persist, a process Qatar remains committed to. Qatar has been actively involved in containing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway where unobstructed navigational freedom is a key topic. Other central discussion points include Iran's nuclear program and provisions within a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Qatar clarified that Iran's frozen funds are not owned by the nation but are held in an account for which Qatar acts as a financial intermediary, with the transfer contingent on future negotiations.

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We want durable commitments.

Qatar's ultimate objective is to achieve an end to hostilities in the region, with a particular focus on ensuring safe commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Al-Ansari recalled Iranian attacks Qatar sustained during the US-Iran war, which he stated violated the country's sovereignty, noting that Qatar successfully deterred these attacks and remains open to dialogue. He concluded that any guarantees, including the existing ceasefire and MoU, are dependent on the realities on the ground.

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We want to see what kind of an arrangement actually exists in the Middle East between not just Iran and the United States, but the GCC, Israel, Lebanon.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance stressed the U.S. requirement for "durable commitments" from Iran concerning its nuclear program. Vance expressed a desire to understand the broader regional arrangement involving not only the U.S. and Iran but also the GCC, Israel, and Lebanon. He noted that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for oil traffic, with current shipment levels exceeding pre-war figures.

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We're going to play that situation out.