Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi was in Doha yesterday, where he was working on implementation of the U.S.-Iran MOU with his Qatari hosts, including Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Gharibabadi’s meetings also included a mediating delegation from Pakistan. “Parties have agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be set at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian supreme leader,” the Pakistani Foreign Office said in a statement with both the U.S. and Iranian delegations, referring to the upcoming funeral and procession of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which will last from July 3-7.
“The working groups for following up on implementation of the understanding and for negotiating a final agreement have been formed, but no negotiations have yet started within these formats,” Gharibabadi said regarding the question of negotiations toward a final agreement, reported IRNA. He added that consultations to determine the time and place of negotiations within these working groups are continuing through mediators, and that negotiations will begin once the necessary conditions are in place.
While the Iranians have said there were no meetings with the U.S., Vice President JD Vance claimed yesterday that U.S.-Iran meetings were going well, even as the U.S. hung the threat of renewed war over the whole process. Vance said he could not guarantee that Washington would not return to full combat operations against Iran ahead of next month’s deadline, but that for now President Donald Trump had directed officials to make a deal, Reuters reported yesterday.
