Copy in clipboard...
Iran to hold talks with Qatar on blocked funds; denies US meeting
Iran will hold talks with mediator Qatar on Wednesday regarding its frozen assets, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, denying that any meeting with the United States was planned in the Persian Gulf state, where delegations from both sides were expected.
"What is expected to take place in Doha, probably tomorrow, will be discussions regarding the implementation of provisions of the memorandum of understanding, including the provision concerning the release of Iran's restricted assets, and these discussions will be held with the Qatari side," Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters at a weekly press conference on Tuesday.
“Therefore, I emphasize that we have not planned any meeting with the American side at any level for the next few days,” Baqaei added.
While there is no official figure for the total amount of frozen Iranian assets, media reports have estimated the sum at between $100 billion and $123 billion.
His remarks came after US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that a meeting would be held in Qatar's capital at Iran's request on Tuesday.
According to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have also arrived in the country’s capital, Doha, despite having no meetings with Iranian officials scheduled.
Tehran and Washington have signed a Pakistan-mediated 14-point memorandum of understanding to end a recent aggression by the US and Israel against Iran.
They have also set a 60-day period to discuss further issues including sanctions imposed on Iran as well as the country’s nuclear program in order to reach a comprehensive agreement between the two countries.
However, Iran has insisted full implementation of the provisions of the Islamabad memorandum, especially a cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, as preconditions for the resumption of negotiations. But the Israeli regime has never stopped its attacks on Lebanon despite the Iran-US agreement which requires the cessation of such attacks.
Baqaei stressed that Tehran will monitor the US’s compliance with the memorandum “moment by moment” and warned that Tehran will not implement its commitments unilaterally.
Baghaei said Tehran had never expected the diplomatic process to proceed without challenges, given the deep mutual mistrust and bitter past experiences of US breaches of commitments and Israeli obstruction.
He called the cessation of military operations on all fronts the most critical provision of the agreement, saying that, the United States, as the other party to the memorandum, must adhere to its commitments and do whatever is necessary regarding Lebanon to ensure that Israel’s military aggression against Lebanon is halted.
Baghaei warned that if the US fails to rein in Israeli violations, Iran will not hesitate to use all available tools to protect its national security and interests.
Qatar, alongside Pakistan, has acted as a mediator in talks between Iran and the United States aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
The most recent discussions between Tehran and Washington took place in Switzerland on June 21 with the attendance of delegations from all four countries.