Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei rejected Donald Trump’s claims regarding planned US-Iranian talks in Doha.
Iran said on Monday that no negotiations are scheduled with the United States at any level in the coming days, which contradicts US President Donald Trump’s claim that the two sides will meet in Qatar to discuss the dispute in the Strait of Hormuz.This statement comes after Washington and Tehran agreed to stop counter-strikes following a new round of military escalation around the Strait of Hormuz. The United States carried out strikes on Iranian military targets after it accused Tehran of violating the ceasefire, while Iran responded by launching missiles and drones at American military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait.After exchanging attacks, US officials said that the two sides agreed to stop military action and resume technical talks in Doha.
Trump also claimed on Truth Social that Iran requested a meeting in Qatar.“Iran has requested a meeting. It will be held tomorrow in Doha!” Trump wrote.However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei denied these allegations during a press conference.Baghaei said: “There will be no meeting to negotiate with the American side at any level in the coming days.”He explained that a delegation of Iranian experts will head to Doha later this week only to follow up on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding, especially Article 11 related to the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Baghaei also said that any visit by American representatives to Qatar would not be related to the Iranian delegation’s trip.“We have not yet entered the stage of negotiating a final agreement,” he said, adding that negotiations on a comprehensive agreement can only begin after the main provisions of the memorandum of understanding are implemented and continued implementation.According to Baghaei, the United States has already issued the necessary permits under Article 10 of the Memorandum of Understanding, related to Iranian oil exports, and Tehran is monitoring the implementation process.Regarding the release of Iranian assets frozen under Article 11, he said that the implementation process is also underway.The 14-point memorandum of understanding came into effect on June 18 after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Donald Trump signed it digitally after weeks of conflict sparked by US and Israeli strikes on Iran.The agreement includes a ceasefire, measures related to arrangements for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, temporary navigation and security coordination in the Strait of Hormuz, in addition to provisions including Iranian oil exports and access to frozen assets.Iran had earlier canceled the technical talks scheduled for Sunday, citing the recent US attacks and what it described as Washington’s failure to meet the conditions stipulated in the memorandum of understanding. Iranian officials also said that access to funds frozen in the country remains one of the basic conditions before negotiations on a final deal can begin.Meanwhile, Trump said this week’s meeting between US and Iranian officials in Doha could be important, but he played down expectations ahead of the talks.
The meeting comes amid uncertainty over whether Washington and Tehran will resume negotiations in the wake of recent military tensions.Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said: “The meeting in Doha may be important, or it may not. We will find out.”
Reiterating Washington’s position on Iran’s nuclear programme, he added: “It’s really very simple. It’s the denuclearization of Iran. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon – and they won’t have a nuclear weapon.”
