Summary
Iran Foreign Ministry contradicts Trump on Doha talks: “We will not hold any negotiation meetings at any level with the American side in the coming days.”
US-Iran talks may resume Tuesday in Doha, Trump declaring the plan in a Monday Truth Social, with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveling to Qatar, though Tehran denies technical negotiations are scheduled.
Qatar suspended most maritime activity as security deteriorates, while shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted & slowed.
Recent US-Iran strikes have clouded diplomacy, despite reports both sides have paused military action.
Iran warned it could halt negotiations and said further US involvement in Hormuz would escalate tensions and delay the waterway’s reopening.
Iran Intends to Administer Strait With or Without Oman
A couple of late Monday statements, including a declaration by Tehran that it is ready to implement its Hormuz Strait passage protocol with or without Oman:
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister says if they do not reach an understanding with Oman on the routes and arrangements of the Strait of Hormuz, they will in any case implement Iran’s new sovereignty and policy in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran President Pezeshkian says “Understanding is a bilateral matter. If the American side adheres to the memorandum of understanding, we will also fulfill our obligations”
Iran Foreign Ministry Contradicts Trump: No Talks will be Held
Earlier Monday a White House official said the Witkoff-Kushner delegation was en route to Qatar for Iran talks, but it’s looking like Tehran will give the US a cold shoulder. Iran state Tasnim is citing Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, who says:
“We will not hold any negotiation meetings at any level with the American side in the coming days,” directly contradicting prior reports coming out of Washington.
Bloomberg is also confirming the new statement out of the Iranian side. President Trump himself early Monday morning stated on Truth Social: “Iran has requested a meeting. It will take place tomorrow in Doha.” Also Fars has separately stated within the last hours:
“No nuclear negotiations have been held with the US so far, and there will be no negotiations on nuclear issues until Iran’s conditions are met.”
More latest:
IRAN SAYS DELEGATION WILL VISIT QATAR BUT RULES OUT US TALKS
So it seems Witkoff and Kushner will merely meet with Qatari and Pakistani mediators? It remains an open question whether the Iranians will be present in Doha at all. It could be Tehran is issuing the contradictory messaging in order to keep leverage and pressure up, or else to try and humiliate the White House. The Islamic Republic has been warning that more US military action against Iranian territory and in the Hormuz Strait could result in Iran walking away from the negotiating process altogether.
Witkoff-Kushner Delegation En Route to Qatar, Iran Mum
Bloomberg reports Monday that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet with Qatar’s prime minister on Tuesday to discuss the talks with Iran, also citing Axios which spoke to a White House official. Will the Iranians actually be there?
On Wednesday US and Iranian technical teams will meet separately with Qatari and Pakistani mediators, Axios says
Witkoff and Kushner will travel to Doha today: Axios
So it seems the US delegation is in motion, even as Tehran has as yet offered no concrete public confirmation that an Iranian high level team is in route.
Qatar Halts Maritime Activity due to Unravelling Security Situation
A big move from Qatar to halt almost all shipping in its maritime territory on Monday:
Qatar has recommended a temporary halt to shipping and some maritime activities in the country until further notice, without providing a reason. The Qatari Ministry of Transport said the precautionary measure includes recreational and fishing boats, jet skis and other vessels. Although no reason was given for the unusual step, the decision was made after Doha announced last night that a Qatari citizen was killed by shrapnel hitting a vessel due to ‘military operations in the area,’ but did not provide further details.
Bloomberg reported earlier in the day: Just a handful of vessels made open transits over the weekend in the strait.
Trump: Talks Continue Tuesday in Doha
After some persisting Sunday reports, including in The Wall Street Journal, said that last week’s renewed tit-for-tat fighting between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz had ‘stalled’ the next round of talks, President Trump stated on Truth Social Monday that a meeting on Iran would be held in Doha Tuesday. He stipulated that Iran has requested the talks.
“Iran has requested a meeting. It will take place tomorrow in Doha,” Trump wrote on his social media platform in all caps. Axios reported late Sunday, citing a senior US official, that “We decided to stop all the kinetic activity” and make way for renewed talks.
NBC notes in the immediate aftermath of the statement, “There was no immediate reaction from Tehran. Hours earlier, a senior Iranian official denied any technical discussions were scheduled to take place.”
“Technical teams working on the implementation of the initial agreement between the two sides are scheduled to meet in Doha in the coming days, a source with knowledge of the talks,” the report continues.
Growing Tit-for-Tat Strikes Clouding Talks
Abbas Aslani from the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies has contextualized, “In the past few days the two sides have been flexing their muscles on this strategic issue – meaning the Strait of Hormuz, which is a leverage for Iran that can create a balance in the negotiations with the United States.” He added: “This has been clouding the atmosphere of the talks. The Iranian senior negotiator said they are not expecting those technical talks to be held this week.”
As for how this may or may not impact vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of the MoU deal signing, and start of Switzerland technical talks earlier this month, Bloomberg reports that “Commercial shipping continued to move through the Strait of Hormuz at a reduced level after recent attacks on two vessels. A handful of vessels made open transits over the weekend, according to tracking data.”
Last Friday into the weekend saw the escalatory spiral go into overdrive, as red lines continue to be tested. By early Sunday morning, both Bahrain and Kuwait came under direct Iranian attacks. The strikes came just hours after the Pentagon proudly announced it had pounded multiple targets inside Iran - a move Washington characterized as “retaliation” for Tehran’s continued harassment of commercial shipping lanes.
A short time before Trump’s latest Truth Social post proclaiming Doha talks set for Tuesday...
Tehran Threatens ‘Complete Halt’ To US Negotiations
Tehran is now threatening a “complete halt” to all diplomatic negotiations, despite that Trump has been signaling that the gloves are completely off if things spill over into next year: “There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started,” he had said Saturday.
But then Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday, “Any interference in this matter and any attempt to adopt new or separate arrangements compared to what is underway by Iran will only lead to more complicated situations and delays in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and will fuel tensions.” But for now, at least the two sides have ‘agreed’ to halt strikes, it was widely reported Sunday evening.
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