US President Donald Trump has asserted that Iran has agreed to "just about everything" the United States has demanded, even as recent diplomatic talks in Doha reportedly bypassed the critical issue of Iran's nuclear program.
Speaking in an interview, President Trump offered an optimistic outlook on the state of US-Iran relations, claiming a significant breakthrough. "I think they've agreed to just about everything we need," Trump stated, adding that Iran had been "totally defeated militarily." He also referenced specific military actions, asserting, "I hit them three times last week very hard… I hit them three nights in a row, the week before I hit them two nights in a row, very hard."
Doha Discussions Focus on Maritime & Funds, Not Nuclear
However, reports from the Qatari capital paint a more technical and less conclusive picture. According to sources close to the negotiations, American and Iranian representatives engaged in two days of discussions focusing on two specific points from an interim agreement: the regulation of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the unfreezing of Iranian financial assets. Crucially, the sensitive nuclear program was not on the agenda during these meetings.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry described the Doha discussions as yielding "positive progress" on issues related to a memorandum that had previously halted conflict in June, indicating that the talks were "building on the outcomes" of an earlier summit held in Switzerland.
Conflicting Views on Nuclear Progress
Despite President Trump's remarks in Washington that "the denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well," his own Vice President, JD Vance, acknowledged a different reality. Vance told reporters that the nuclear issue had yet to be formally addressed. "Obviously, we're worried about the nuclear issue, we're going to start talking about that," Vance confirmed, highlighting the ongoing divide.
The structure of the Doha meetings also underscored the persistent distance between the two nations. American and Iranian negotiators conducted their discussions indirectly, utilizing Qatari and Pakistani mediators, rather than engaging in direct, face-to-face dialogue.
Next Steps After Supreme Leader's Funeral
The Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed that the next round of meetings is scheduled to take place following the funeral processions for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is expected to be buried on July 9.