Where things currently stand
• Indirect technical talks: US and Iranian officials are holding indirect, low-level technical talks through Qatari and Pakistani mediators in Doha today, a diplomatic source told CNN.
• Iran-Qatar talks: Separately, Iranian officials were set to meet Qatari mediators to discuss the implementation of Tehran’s agreement with the US, as well as its frozen assets, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said yesterday. He added that Iran’s negotiating team had no plan to meet with the American delegation in the coming days.
• US meetings: The Iran-Qatar talks follow meetings Tuesday between US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner with Qatari mediators.
• Strait of Hormuz: A major sticking point in negotiations has been safe transit for ships through the critical waterway. Oman recently delivered a proposal to the US and other allies on the future of the strait, according to a regional diplomat and a US source familiar.
US, Iranian officials hold indirect, lower-level talks in Doha, source says
US and Iranian officials are holding indirect, lower-level technical talks through Qatari and Pakistani mediators in Doha, a diplomatic source with knowledge of the talks told CNN.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who are not attending the talks themselves, met Qatar’s prime minister in Doha on Tuesday to lay the groundwork for Wednesday’s indirect negotiations, the source added.
Iran’s chief negotiator met Qatari prime minister for talks in Doha, state media says
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi met the Qatari PM to discuss formalizing a tentative US-Iran agreement, according to Iranian state media.
Qatar has been an important mediator in the US-Iran conflict and is currently hosting delegations from both parties.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani - who also serves as Qatari foreign minister - spoke about “implementing the memorandum of understanding” to end regional hostilities, including those in Lebanon, the state-affiliated agency, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) said Wednesday.
After the meeting between Gharibabadi, Al Thani and several other officials, a trilateral session between Iranian, Qatari and Pakistan negotiators also took placed, IRIB reported.
Working groups for “negotiating a final agreement have been established,” according to IRIB. “No negotiations within these frameworks have yet begun,” the agency added.
Remember: Iranian and US delegations are taking part in talks to implement a long term peace deal – including the unfreezing of assets. Both parties have stressed the teams will not meet directly, but instead participate in discussions mediated by Qatari authorities.
Cargo ship runs aground after using unapproved route, Iranian media says
Iranian state media says a foreign container ship ran aground after not using the Tehran-approved route through the Strait of Hormuz.
The cargo vessel was unable to continue its voyage due to the “shallow depth of the sea along the route it had chosen,” the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported, in what may be an attempt to stress Iran’s command of Hormuz.
Iran’s navy also warned vessels against using routes outside those permitted by the newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA).
“The IRGC Navy continuously warns captains, owners, and officials of shipping companies around the world that any entry or exit through routes other than the designated route under Iran’s authority in the Persian Gulf may result in irreparable incidents,” it said on the IRIB Telegram channel.
The status of the critical waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, is a major sticking point between the US and Iran. Traffic has been picking up since the agreement was signed but remains well below pre-war levels.
Oman also shares control of the strait, and a ceasefire agreement between Tehran and Washington stipulated that Iran would help “define the future administration” of the waterway - a move that could give Tehran a formal role in managing safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and Qatar to hold talks after US envoys met with mediators about Iran. What else to know
Today’s talks between Iran and Qatar will cover the implementation of Tehran’s agreement with the US, as well as its frozen assets, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said yesterday.
The talks come after the Qatari prime minister met with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Tuesday to discuss ongoing US-Iran talks and regional developments.
If you’re just dropping in, here’s what else to know:
- Qatar’s foreign ministry said the Tuesday meeting between Witkoff, Kushner and Qatar mediators reviewed the latest developments in negotiations between the United States and Iran under the framework of the memorandum of understanding between both sides, as well as efforts to strengthen security and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy.
- The meeting also addressed the ceasefire in Lebanon “and emphasized the importance of stabilizing it and building upon it to preserve Lebanon’s unity, sovereignty and stability,” the ministry said.
- Qatar also said technical talks between Iran and the United States are continuing, but there are currently no high-level meetings between the two.
- Meanwhile, in Lebanon: Despite a US-brokered agreement signed Friday between Israel and Lebanon, the Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah operative in the Manzala area of southern Lebanon, near the “security zone” where Israeli forces were operating on Tuesday.
- Oman recently delivered a proposal to the US and other allies on the future of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a regional diplomat and a US source familiar with the matter.
- Iranian authorities plan to hold funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei from July 4 to July 9 across Iran and Iraq, months after his death. The delay has raised questions about the condition of his son and successor, and criticism from detractors who say the state is trying to inflate attendance.
Mohammed Tawfeeq, Eyad Kourdi, Dana Karni, Hira Humayun Avery Schmitz, Zachary Cohen, Aileen Graef and Nic Robertson contributed reporting.
The Strait of Hormuz pain has been China’s gain, The Asia Group says
China has emerged as the main beneficiary of the Strait of Hormuz closure, according to Washington D.C.-based strategic advisory firm The Asia Group.
In a report published this week, it said the stoppage of crude oil and other commodities from the Middle East has unevenly impacted economies in Asia, which relies heavily on imports for its fuel.
But China’s ability to diversify its energy supply and tap into emergency reserves has given it strategic advantages in an otherwise widely disruptive crisis, The Asia Group said.
China has helped cushion the global oil shock, seen its clean energy tech exports surge and framed the war in Iran as another example in which Chinese leadership could supersede the US in ending global conflicts.
If the energy shortages persist, China may still suffer further from higher material prices and a broader global economic slowdown, which would hit demand for Chinese exports at a time when the economy has become increasingly reliant on them to maintain growth.
Still, The Asia Group argues that China is well-positioned to weather further macroeconomic volatility.
Iran-Qatar talks today will cover US deal and frozen assets, Iranian official says
Iran-Qatar talks today will cover the implementation of Tehran’s agreement with the US, as well as its frozen assets, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tuesday.
He said that Iran’s negotiating team had no plan to meet with the American delegation in the coming days.
He added that $6 billion of Iran’s frozen funds have not been transferred to Tehran, but he said this would happen “according to the advancement of negotiations.”
Iran plans funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei across Iran and Iraq
Iranian authorities plan to hold funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei from July 4 to July 9 across Iran and Iraq, months after his death.
The delay has raised questions about the condition of his son and successor and criticism from detractors who say the state is trying to inflate attendance.
Iraq has confirmed that funeral processions for Khamenei will be held in Najaf and Karbala, two Shiite holy cities south of Baghdad. Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units have invited local and foreign media to register for accreditation to cover the events.
More on the funeral schedule below:
- A tribute ceremony for foreign leaders and senior officials is planned in Tehran on July 3, with public farewell ceremonies set for July 4 and 5 at the capital’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla, according to a schedule published by Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency.
- A funeral procession in the capital is scheduled for July 6.
- Further ceremonies are planned for July 7 in Qom, July 8 in Najaf and Karbala, and July 9 in Mashhad, which is considered Iran’s Shiite spiritual capital. The northeastern city is also Khamenei’s hometown, and he is to be buried there at the Shrine of Imam Reza, one of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam and a major pilgrimage destination.
