THE United States and Iran have concluded another round of indirect negotiations in Qatar without achieving a significant diplomatic breakthrough, as both sides focused on implementing elements of their interim ceasefire agreement rather than addressing the more contentious issue of Iran's nuclear programme.
The two-day talks in Doha centred on restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the release of frozen Iranian assets, according to sources familiar with the negotiations, reflecting efforts to implement commitments made under an interim agreement reached two weeks ago.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the discussions produced "positive progress" on issues related to the memorandum that halted the conflict in June and were "building on the outcomes" of a summit held in Switzerland.
The ministry added that the next round of talks would take place after the funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is scheduled to be buried on July 9.
Speaking in Washington, US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about broader negotiations, saying progress was being made on Iran's nuclear programme despite reports that the subject was not discussed during the latest round of technical talks.
"The denuclearization of Iran is moving along well," Reuters cited Trump telling reporters. "They've had very good meetings, and we'll see."
However, sources familiar with the discussions said the nuclear issue did not feature in the Doha negotiations, which were limited to technical matters related to implementing the interim agreement.
US Vice President JD Vance indicated that nuclear negotiations would be addressed separately at a later stage.
"Obviously, we're worried about the nuclear issue, we're going to start talking about that," he told reporters.
According to Qatar's Foreign Ministry, American and Iranian negotiators met separately with Qatari and Pakistani mediators throughout the discussions.
Senior US envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, who had been expected to participate in what the White House described as high-level talks, did not attend the negotiating sessions, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Iran's delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who confirmed that the talks had concluded, although neither side indicated that any major differences had been resolved.
One of the central issues remains the future of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that previously handled around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the conflict disrupted shipping.
Although commercial traffic has partially resumed, uncertainty remains over long-term access to the waterway following recent military exchanges, including Iranian attacks on shipping and retaliatory strikes.
Two senior Iranian sources said Tehran remains determined to secure international recognition of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz and intends to begin charging tolls on vessels from mid-August after the expiry of a toll-free period outlined in the interim agreement.
Despite lingering tensions, Trump downplayed the prospect of renewed large-scale conflict.
"I think they've come a long way," he said.
His remarks helped push global oil prices to their lowest level in four months as investors grew more optimistic that the risk of wider regional conflict had eased.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that a foreign container vessel had run aground outside the designated shipping lane established by Iranian authorities.
"Hormuz continues to reopen but it's patchy, unpredictable, and not fully transparent," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis firm Vanda Insights.
Several European countries have offered assistance in clearing naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz, although German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin was unlikely to participate, citing Iran's reluctance to cooperate with foreign partners. - July 2, 2026
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