US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, are reportedly travelling to Doha, Qatar, as diplomatic efforts intensify following four days of military exchanges between the United States and Iran across the Persian Gulf region. However, uncertainty surrounds the proposed talks after Iran denied that any direct meeting with US officials has been scheduled.
US President Donald Trump said Tehran had requested a meeting with American counterparts and that discussions were expected to take place in Doha on Tuesday. Describing the negotiations as "perhaps important," Trump reiterated Washington's determination to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear programme.
Iran, however, rejected the claim that direct talks with the United States had been arranged. Instead, Tehran said its delegation would travel to Qatar—a key mediator—to discuss the framework of a proposed interim agreement through diplomatic channels rather than in face-to-face negotiations with US officials.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the delegation would focus on issues including the proposed release of frozen Iranian assets and other matters related to the interim deal.
"There are no negotiation meetings with the US side at any level scheduled in the coming days," Baghaei said.
Iranian state media also quoted senior negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi as saying that no direct talks with Washington had been confirmed.
The diplomatic uncertainty follows four days of heightened military tensions that reportedly pushed an already fragile ceasefire to the brink of collapse. According to the reports, US forces carried out strikes on multiple targets in Iran, including missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar installations, after Tehran allegedly attacked two oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, in turn, claimed it had struck eight US military facilities and related infrastructure, including the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and assets associated with the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the dispute. Tehran maintains that it has the authority to regulate maritime traffic through the strategically vital waterway and has warned that any further violations of the ceasefire would provoke a "crushing response". Iranian officials have also urged commercial vessels to use a designated route along Iran's coastline, warning against the use of alternative shipping lanes.
Washington disputes Iran's interpretation, insisting that the agreement does not grant Tehran control over the Strait of Hormuz. US officials maintain that freedom of navigation through the international shipping corridor must remain unrestricted under international maritime law.
