US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Qatari mediators in Doha on Tuesday as indirect talks with Iran remained stalled over Tehran’s refusal to engage directly and its insistence on preconditions, including an end to hostilities in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian funds. The meetings, confirmed by Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, underscore Washington’s push to implement a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the Middle East war, even as Iran publicly dismissed the prospect of direct negotiations and warned that free passage through the Strait of Hormuz would only be guaranteed for 60 days under any deal.

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stated that Tehran will not relinquish its rights and is prepared for war if its conditions are not met, complicating efforts to revive diplomacy. Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance dismissed Iran’s public denials of scheduled talks as a “Persian negotiating tactic,” confirming that technical discussions between Washington and Tehran are underway in Doha. White House envoys Witkoff and Kushner, alongside Vance, are seeking to balance competing interests in Iran, Israel, and Lebanon, with President Donald Trump opting to continue negotiations despite being briefed on all-out war options.

The stalemate comes as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intensifies military pressure on Hezbollah, ordering the destruction of the group’s infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu’s directive follows repeated clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border, where Hezbollah has been a key Iranian ally. The escalation risks further destabilizing the region as US-led talks struggle to gain traction.

Qatar’s reaffirmation of its mediation role contrasts with Iran’s public posturing, which includes a warning that talks will not resume until the US upholds an agreement with Trump. The Iranian stance has clouded prospects for a peace deal, with Tehran’s top negotiator stating that it will not meet with US envoys . Meanwhile, US officials, including Vance, have framed the negotiations as a delicate balancing act, with Trump’s team leveraging both conciliatory and hardline voices to navigate the crisis .

The diplomatic impasse coincides with growing regional tensions, as Iran’s Qalibaf warned that free Hormuz passage would be temporary under any deal . Analysts suggest that the window for a negotiated settlement remains narrow, with both sides signaling readiness to escalate if their demands are not met. The outcome of the Doha talks could determine whether the region lurches toward further conflict or finds a fragile path to de-escalation.

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Articles

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welt.de · about 1 hour ago

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the slovenia times · about 2 hours ago

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japantoday · about 2 hours ago

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independent · about 2 hours ago

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de morgen · about 2 hours ago

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wsj · about 2 hours ago

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yenisafak · about 2 hours ago

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de morgen · about 2 hours ago

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courrier international · about 2 hours ago

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die presse · about 2 hours ago

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faz · about 2 hours ago

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france24 · about 2 hours ago

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wsj · about 2 hours ago

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mastodon bot · about 3 hours ago

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yenisafak · about 3 hours ago

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