Iran to Discuss Nuclear Deal and Security Concerns with US Officials

US and Iran to Hold Talks in Doha on Tuesday

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has denied reports of technical-level negotiations between the US and Iran set to take place in Qatar this week. Instead, he stated that consultations with Qatari officials will continue.

Earlier, a member of the Iranian supreme leader’s office, Mehdi Fazaeli, confirmed that talks scheduled for Sunday were cancelled by Iranian negotiators due to fundamental disagreements over key issues, including the Strait of Hormuz.

The recent escalation of tensions between the US and Iran has led to renewed focus on diplomacy. The two countries have exchanged attacks in recent days, with the US blaming Iran for the strikes and Iran accusing the US of violating commitments made under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on June 17.

The MoU established a framework for cooperation between the two nations, including provisions for the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. However, disagreements over the implementation of these provisions have led to tensions.

Iran’s position is that it will not be bypassed in managing the Strait of Hormuz, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that other countries should not interfere in this issue. The foreign minister also noted that it would take at least a month to return the strait to its pre-war capacity.

The US has proposed establishing a military hotline between Iran and the US, but this proposal appears to have had little impact on preventing armed confrontations in the strait. Iranian authorities have also indicated that they are planning to extract fees for insurance and other services from vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, which is not permitted under the MoU.

Another key issue on the agenda for any talks between the US and Iran is access to frozen funds held abroad by Iran as a result of US sanctions. Iranian officials are seeking to ensure that these funds are released in full, with President Masoud Pezeshkian stating that at least $6bn held by Qatar should be made available.

Source: Al Jazeera