The United States and Iran are set to hold high-level talks in Doha on Tuesday, following a weekend of escalated strikes in the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump announced the meeting on Truth Social, stating that Iran had requested it. However, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denied any planned negotiations, clarifying that an Iranian expert delegation would travel to Doha only to follow up on the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), particularly Article 11 related to the release of Iran's frozen assets.
The talks come after both sides exchanged strikes over the weekend. The US carried out strikes on Iranian military targets in response to what it called Iranian violations of a 60-day ceasefire. Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones at US military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait. The ceasefire, agreed upon earlier this month, aimed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, but tensions have persisted.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies, has seen fluctuating traffic levels. Data from marine intelligence company Kpler shows that shipping traffic rose to its highest levels since the start of the conflict, with 73 ships passing through on Wednesday and 54 on Thursday. However, two commercial ships were attacked by projectiles on June 25 and June 27, raising concerns about the ceasefire's fragility.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that Iran has full responsibility for managing the Strait of Hormuz, a claim disputed by the US. The US has insisted that vessels should be able to move freely through the strait during the talks. The US delegation to Doha will include Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that $6 billion in frozen regime assets held in Qatar will be released under the MoU. The US has issued the necessary authorizations under Article 10 of the MoU, which relates to Iranian oil exports. Tehran is monitoring the implementation process.
The talks in Doha are expected to focus on the implementation of the MoU, with technical talks scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the high-level discussions. The US has emphasized that it is holding up its end of the ceasefire, while Iran has maintained that it will not negotiate a final agreement until key provisions of the MoU are implemented and enforced.