A diplomatic source familiar with the progress of the Doha negotiations announced that the US and Iranian delegations will hold "indirect" technical talks in Doha today, as part of the implementation of the terms of the memorandum of understanding with Iran to end the war in the Middle East.
The diplomat, who asked not to be named, told AFP that "US and Iranian officials are holding indirect technical talks in Doha on Wednesday through Qatari and Pakistani mediators on the MoU, based on the progress made during the Lake Lucerne summit" in Switzerland.
The source added that US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on Tuesday, will not participate in the technical talks.
Washington: Doha talks are progressing
Intensive diplomatic moves have continued in the Qatari capital Doha since yesterday in order to contain the growing escalation between Washington and Tehran, at a time when efforts to reach a final agreement are facing fundamental obstacles related to the mechanisms for implementing the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed between them on June 17, amid parallel complications on the ground on the Lebanese front.
The United States announced that the talks held by its envoys in the Qatari capital Doha on the Iranian file witnessed tangible positive progress, stressing at the same time the continuation of meetings and technical negotiations with Tehran in order to overcome the current obstacles and reach an understanding on the cessation of hostilities.
Bloomberg news agency quoted a US official as saying that US President Steve Whitkoff's special envoy and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, held a series of positive discussions with regional leaders in Doha to speed up the pace of political consultations.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry said in an official statement that Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held an extensive meeting with Witkoff and Kushner, which discussed in detail the ongoing negotiations within the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed between Iran and the United States to maintain stability.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry discussed with the US envoys the latest developments in the political and security situation in the Middle East, paying special attention to the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon, and exchanging international views to stabilize the truce.
On the other hand, the speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said that Tehran will not enter into negotiations on the final agreement until the implementation of the first, fourth, fifth, tenth and eleventh clauses of the memorandum of understanding with the United States.
For his part, US Vice President J.D. Vance warned that some regional parties are rushing to reduce the current political positions, noting in press statements that negotiations with Tehran are still in their early stages and need more scrutiny and commitment.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Vance confirmed that President Donald Trump has asked the diplomatic team to continue to follow the path of negotiations closely, revealing that Washington has many options and strong alternatives that have not yet been used in the event of the failure of the diplomatic solution.
Trump: Considering the possibility of an all-out war against Iran
In this context, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump is seriously reviewing the possibility of launching an all-out war against Iran, pointing out that he has held closed military meetings and deliberations in recent days with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegsey and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Kaine.
The same sources within the US administration indicated that Trump is fully committed to the diplomatic track at the current stage, showing the president's lack of objection to extending the deadline set on August 18 to reach a political agreement that gives the talks additional time.
U.S. officials said the White House discussed the feasibility of resuming military action against Tehran and the "mission accomplished" scenario, but Trump expressed his conviction that a return to aerial bombardment could thwart diplomatic efforts and diminish his country's chances of ending Iran's nuclear program in the future.
Obstacles to negotiations
Reports by political experts and informed sources indicated that the consultations faced two major obstacles: the first was Tehran's insistence on imposing billions of dollars in transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, and the second related to Iran's total refusal to impose severe restrictions on its nuclear facilities.
A White House official revealed that an emergency security channel has been activated for direct communication between the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) to calm the situation and prevent ongoing military frictions in the waterways, while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard denied these reports in an official statement, stressing that the news related to the establishment of a direct line of communication on the Strait of Hormuz is pure slander and misleading, considering that the strait is a purely Iranian corridor and that the United States has nothing to do with its management.
In a statement broadcast on Iranian state television, the Speaker of Iran's Majlis Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf announced that his country is moving forward with the path of diplomatic dialogue but is ready for war and will respond firmly and forcefully if the conditions on the ground require it.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei reiterated that the talks of his country's technical delegation in Doha will focus mainly and directly on the development of mechanisms for the release of Iranian assets and funds frozen abroad.
This complex round of indirect negotiations in Doha follows the signing of the memorandum of understanding on June 17, which was drafted with a US desire to calm the oil and navigation fronts in the Middle East without descending into a full-blown confrontation.
These talks are particularly sensitive given the August 18 deadline and coinciding with complex regional arrangements that include attempts to stabilize a ceasefire in southern Lebanon, putting Qatari diplomacy to a critical test to close the large gaps related to the Strait of Hormuz navigation file, nuclear restrictions, and the schedule for the release of Iranian financial assets.
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