Hopes of securing a lasting peace between the United States and Iran have suffered a fresh blow after Tehran announced it would not hold direct talks with senior US envoys currently in the region.
Iranian officials said on Tuesday that discussions with Washington could not move forward until both sides fully implement the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed two weeks ago. They insisted unresolved issues surrounding the truce must be settled before negotiations can expand to more sensitive matters, including Iran’s nuclear programme.
The development came despite the arrival of US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in Doha for what the White House described as high-level diplomatic efforts. Instead of meeting Iranian representatives directly, the two US officials are expected to hold talks with Qatari mediators. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that no meetings with American officials had been scheduled in the coming days.
The latest setback highlights the deep divisions between both countries over the framework of a proposed long-term agreement. The interim deal reportedly includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for financial incentives and a 60-day negotiation period to work towards a permanent peace settlement. However, Tehran maintains it has the right to jointly manage shipping through the strategic waterway with Oman and plans to introduce transit tolls once the negotiation window expires in mid-August.
The United States has strongly rejected that proposal. Vice President JD Vance said Iran would not be allowed to impose tolls on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, adding that oil shipments through the waterway have largely returned to pre-war levels despite recent tensions.
Meanwhile, reports suggest President Trump has discussed possible further military strikes with senior defence officials should diplomacy fail, although he has reportedly decided to give negotiations more time for now. Despite the uncertainty, global oil prices have eased following recent exchanges of military action between Washington and Tehran, although the United Nations has warned that rising food and fuel prices could continue affecting vulnerable economies.
The interim agreement also aims to reduce wider regional tensions, including ending hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. However, political leaders in Lebanon have already expressed doubts over a separate US-backed framework linking Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah’s disarmament, raising further questions over the prospects of lasting stability in the region.
