Qatar confirms US envoys will not meet Iran
A spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will be in Doha to meet with mediators this week, but talks will not feature Iran. The announcement came as mixed signals continue to cast doubt on the prospects of diplomatic progress between Washington and Tehran.
Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner have arrived in Qatar. He also noted that the $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds have not been transferred to Tehran, and that Qatar is coordinating with Oman on the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran denies talks despite US official travel
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei claimed no talks are scheduled in the coming days, although an Iranian delegation expert is travelling to Doha later this week, according to CNN. Baghaei said Iran and the U.S. have not entered a negotiating state on a final agreement, despite President Donald Trump stating talks are being hosted in Qatar on Tuesday, with his envoy Steve Witkoff en route to Doha.
The mixed messages raise doubts on whether negotiators can meet their 60-day deadline after the two countries traded attacks over the weekend.
Oman opposes shipping fees in Strait of Hormuz
Badr bin Hamad Albusaid, Oman’s foreign minister, said the country “does not support imposing transit fees” on ships heading through the Strait of Hormuz. However, Oman is open to fees for “maritime, environmental and navigational services,” per Al Jazeera. The statement was made during an interview with French radio station Monte Carlo Doualiya.
According to Albusaidi, charges for services “can be discussed voluntarily with the beneficiary countries and companies.” He also said that “some services may include enhancing navigational safety, protecting waters from pollution, and increasing preparedness to deal with accidents or emergencies.” The foreign minister said there’s a possibility of “drawing on existing models, such as the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.”
Iranian military dismantles armed cell in northwest
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed it has dismantled an armed “terrorist-separatist” cell in Iran’s northwestern province of West Azerbaijan, state broadcaster IRIB reported. The IRGC said forces battled with the cell in mountainous areas near Mahabad and Piranshahr, with four of the group’s members being killed and weapons and equipment being seized.
