Indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran are expected to resume after the funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late supreme leader, as mediators seek to build on tentative diplomatic progress following months of conflict across the Middle East.
Officials from Qatar and Pakistan, which have been facilitating discussions between the two sides, said talks held in Doha on Wednesday produced encouraging signs, although several major issues remain unresolved, particularly Iran’s nuclear programme and wider regional security.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said separate meetings had taken place with American and Iranian representatives and described the discussions as constructive.
It added that both parties had agreed to continue negotiations after the funeral processions for Iran’s former Supreme Leader.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on 28 February, the opening day of the conflict. Leadership was quickly transferred to his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Iranian authorities have announced that public funeral ceremonies will begin on Saturday in Tehran, while his burial is scheduled for 9 July at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace.
The latest discussions followed an interim agreement aimed at restoring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and reducing hostilities in the Gulf.
However, diplomats acknowledge that reaching a lasting settlement will require further negotiations on nuclear issues, sanctions and regional security.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who headed Tehran’s delegation in Doha, said both sides had agreed to establish a formal communication channel to monitor and report any alleged breaches of the recently agreed memorandum.
He also reiterated that Iran had maintained its position against direct negotiations with Washington during the Doha meetings.
Speaking before departing Washington on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said progress towards the denuclearisation of Iran was moving in a positive direction.
“We hit them very hard, but we’re getting along very well,” he told reporters, expressing optimism about the diplomatic process.
According to a diplomat familiar with the negotiations, the Doha discussions were conducted at a technical level and focused mainly on implementing commitments reached during last month’s Lake Lucerne Summit.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei had earlier dismissed suggestions that direct negotiations would take place, insisting Tehran had no plans for face-to-face talks with US officials in the immediate future.
Gharibabadi also confirmed that negotiators discussed frozen Iranian assets held abroad. Tehran has consistently argued that access to these funds should form part of any wider agreement.
He said officials examined plans to release part of an initial package worth 6 billion US dollars, with the money expected to be used to purchase essential goods for Iran.
A diplomat involved in the process said senior US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff did not participate in the technical negotiations.
However, both men met Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday before holding separate discussions with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the following day.
Despite diplomatic engagement, tensions remain high across the Gulf.
Since last month’s agreement, both sides have accused each other of military provocations. Iran recently targeted a commercial vessel it claimed had deviated from an approved shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
In response, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out strikes against 10 Iranian military targets.
Iran later launched attacks on US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain, prompting criticism from both Gulf states.
CENTCOM also announced that it had hosted a regional security meeting in Bahrain involving defence officials from 12 countries, with participants reaffirming their commitment to protecting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran rejected the initiative.
Gharibabadi argued that responsibility for the waterway rested with Iran rather than the US military, adding that lasting regional security could only be achieved through respect for national sovereignty and reduced foreign military involvement.
Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf acknowledged earlier this week that disagreements were likely during the implementation of any agreement, particularly given the broader regional tensions involving Israel.
Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon has remained relatively subdued in recent weeks.
Hezbollah entered the wider regional conflict earlier this year by launching rocket attacks into Israel, leading to Israeli air strikes and a subsequent ground operation in southern Lebanon.
Iran continues to insist that any comprehensive regional settlement should include an end to the fighting in Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanese territory.
While mediators have welcomed the latest diplomatic progress, significant political and security challenges remain before a comprehensive agreement between Washington and Tehran can be achieved.
