The United States and Iran remain at odds over the nature of planned talks in Doha, with President Donald Trump announcing a meeting between negotiators while Tehran insists it will only send a technical delegation to discuss implementing their recent memorandum of understanding (MoU).
Trump said US envoys were travelling to Qatar for what he described as a “perhaps important, perhaps not” meeting, adding that Washington hoped to advance efforts towards a permanent agreement, Al Jazeera reported.
Iranian officials, however, denied any direct negotiations were planned, saying discussions on a final deal cannot begin until the US fulfils key commitments under the MoU, including sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Hormuz remains sticking point
A major obstacle remains the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran says it has the right under the MoU to organise shipping during the 60-day negotiation period. Iranian officials also object to new shipping routes established near Oman’s coast without Tehran’s consent, arguing they violate the agreement.
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi said Muscat opposed mandatory transit fees for vessels using the waterway but was open to voluntary charges for navigational, environmental and safety services.
Shipping and diplomacy
Despite renewed tensions, commercial traffic continues through the Strait of Hormuz, although vessel movements have fallen sharply since recent US-Iran hostilities.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed implementation of the MoU with his French counterpart, while regional governments continued diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Oil prices, meanwhile, fell on Tuesday. Brent crude, the primary international benchmark, has dipped with investors eyeing potential US-Iran talks in Doha.
As of 03:56 GMT, Brent August crude futures were down 0.9 percent or 64 cents, at $72.51 a barrel. These prices are about $20 or 22 percent lower than last month’s closing.
