Iran Denies Direct Talks with US in Doha, Says Meetings Focused on MoU Implementation

By Staff, Agencies

Doha, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the country's technical negotiating delegation, Kazem Gharibabadi, denied reports that Iranian and US delegations held a meeting in Doha, stating that no direct contact took place between the two sides.

Gharibabadi said the Iranian delegation's meetings in the Qatari capital were limited to joint sessions with Qatari and Pakistani delegations to follow up on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding reached between Tehran and Washington.

His remarks came in response to reports citing a diplomatic source that claimed Iranian and US officials were holding indirect technical discussions in Doha through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.

The reports also stated that US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were not participating in the talks, although they separately met Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss the negotiations and the ceasefire in Lebanon.

Gharibabadi said the Iranian delegation raised what it described as US violations of its commitments under the memorandum of understanding concerning the end of the war on Lebanon, stressing that all obligations contained in the agreement form a single package and cannot be implemented selectively.

He added that the parties agreed to establish an immediate communication channel beginning Thursday to enable a monitoring group to report violations related to the memorandum.

The deputy foreign minister also announced the formation of specialized working groups to oversee implementation of the existing understandings, saying negotiations remain ongoing with the aim of reaching a final agreement.

Gharibabadi further revealed that Iran and Qatar agreed to use part of Iran's $6 billion in frozen funds to purchase goods needed by the country.