Positive Progress Reported in Doha Talks Between Washington and Tehran
Welat TV – Erbil
The United States announced that talks held by its envoys in Doha regarding Iran have made positive progress, while confirming that technical negotiations with Tehran are continuing.
According to Bloomberg, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, a U.S. official said that U.S. President's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held "positive discussions with regional leaders" in Doha, adding that technical contacts between the United States and Iran remain ongoing as part of efforts aimed at reaching understandings on a cessation of hostilities.
The two U.S. envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Doha on Tuesday, where they held talks with Qatari officials without speaking directly with the Iranian delegation.
Multiple Options
Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said during a television interview that negotiations with Iran are still in their early stages and that the U.S. administration has many pressure tools that have not yet been used to secure outcomes favorable to Washington.
Frozen Assets
On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei said that the Iranian delegation will focus during the Doha talks on how to secure the release of frozen assets under the memorandum of understanding concluded with the United States to end the war, denying any plans to hold a meeting with the U.S. delegation that arrived in Doha.
According to Reuters, Iranian assets that remain frozen or subject to movement restrictions are estimated at between $100 billion and $123 billion. These assets are held in South Korea, China, Japan, Iraq, and Luxembourg, in addition to other funds distributed across various foreign financial institutions.
Concerns Despite Mediation
Despite differing positions between Washington and Tehran regarding the course of the negotiations, regional and international concerns remain, despite the ceasefire signed between the two sides last April and the Pakistani-Qatari mediation efforts aimed at reaching a final agreement to end the conflict that has been ongoing in the region since late February.