In Doha, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Saturday that Tehran currently has no plans to meet U.S. officials and that consultations with Qatari and Pakistani mediators continue over the conditions needed to resolve the crisis.
Conditions and Mediator Consultations
According to Xinhua, Araghchi dismissed reports of possible meetings as media speculation, stating Iran saw no need to meet American officials at present. He said Tehran would decide whether to hold direct or indirect negotiations only after Washington accepted Iran’s conditions. Recognizing a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz that Iran had worked out with Oman and the closure of other routes were cited as key demands. “Iran also sought the lifting of sanctions imposed after the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a reduction in U.S. military forces in the region, the restoration of sanctions waivers for Iranian oil exports, and the release of all frozen Iranian funds, including those held in Qatar,” Araghchi said.
A letter from U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was reviewed at high‑level meetings, which Araghchi described as a “positive step” toward broader dialogue and understanding, as reported by Xinhua.
The Iranian delegation had traveled to Qatar for further discussions, with an aide in Doha continuing consultations with mediators. Araghchi said that the mediators had presented proposals concerning Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran was reviewing as part of what he described as a second phase.
Historical context shows that the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on June 18 to end the war in all fronts, with negotiations scheduled for 60 days ending on August 17. However, they failed to make sufficient progress toward a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and the removal of sanctions, a fact stated in Xinhua’s coverage. The ceasefire achieved between the warring parties on April 8 and the joint attacks launched by Israel and the United States on February 28 are also noted as key events leading to the current impasse.
While the U.S. has not yet confirmed the status of these meetings, Tehran’s stance remains that any potential talks depend on the U.S. accepting the conditions outlined by Iranian officials.