Iran Demands US Compliance Before Final Agreement Talks

Iran's Conditions for Negotiations

Iran's Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated on Tuesday that negotiations for a final agreement with the United States will not commence until Washington fulfills several critical commitments outlined in their memorandum of understanding (MOU). As technical discussions continue in Qatar, Ghalibaf emphasized that the next phase of talks hinges on the US meeting specific obligations detailed in the agreement. He highlighted Article 13 of the MOU, which stipulates that the implementation of the agreement is contingent upon the execution of clauses 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11. These provisions include halting hostilities in Iran and Lebanon, lifting the US naval blockade, gradually reopening the Strait of Hormuz, allowing sanction-free exports of Iranian crude oil and its derivatives, and releasing Iran's frozen assets. Ghalibaf remarked, "Only after these actions are initiated and sustained will negotiations on a final deal addressing the remaining issues commence." He reiterated that progress on the US-Iran memorandum is contingent upon the initiation of these commitments.

Ongoing Technical Discussions in Qatar

Technical Talks Continue in Qatar

These remarks were made as Iranian and US officials engaged in technical-level negotiations in Doha. Qatar confirmed on Tuesday that discussions are ongoing, but emphasized that no high-level meetings are currently taking place within the existing negotiation framework. Majed al-Ansari, an adviser to Qatar's prime minister and spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, stated during a media briefing that, "There are currently no high-level meetings between the Iranian and American parties under the adopted negotiation mechanism." He noted that the visit of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Doha is part of consultations with Qatari mediators on various regional matters, including discussions related to Iran and Lebanon. Al-Ansari mentioned that technical-level contacts between the US and Iran have persisted since earlier meetings in Switzerland, both directly and indirectly, with Qatari mediators facilitating the process in Doha and beyond. He confirmed that the Iranian and American technical delegations are "still in session," with meetings occurring in various formats involving mediator participation to ensure continuity.

Objectives of the Ongoing Talks

What the Talks Aim at Achieving

Qatar indicated that the discussions in Doha differ from the high-level talks that occurred earlier this month in Switzerland, where senior delegations from both nations met privately. Those discussions were led by US Vice-President JD Vance and Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. In contrast, the current negotiations in Doha are being conducted at a technical level, led by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi. The two delegations are not meeting directly, with Qatari officials serving as intermediaries. The aim of these technical discussions is to "produce documents that will be elevated to principles in the high-level meetings to agree upon," according to al-Ansari.