US and Iran wrap up Doha technical talks with asset access deal; Trump says 'very good' progress on denuclearisation
Indirect negotiations in Qatar ended on 1 July with an agreement allowing Iran to tap frozen funds for essential goods, and both sides approved a mechanism to report protocol violations by Thursday.
Technical talks wrap up
American and Iranian representatives held indirect technical discussions in Doha on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, in the second round of talks since signing a protocol on 17 June. The session concluded with concrete steps, including an agreement for Iran to acquire products using a portion of its assets frozen in Qatar. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that goods would be procured based on Tehran's needs, though he did not detail the mechanics.
A diplomat close to the negotiations told Agence France-Presse that a communication channel would be established by Thursday to report any violations of the protocol. The Qatari-mediated channel is designed to build confidence between two parties that still refuse to meet directly. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed ben Abderrahmane al-Thani the day before, did not join the technical session.
Framework for a lasting settlement
The talks are part of a 60-day renewable framework launched after Pakistan and Qatar brokered the protocol in June. While the accord has lowered the intensity of fighting, major flashpoints remain. The Strait of Hormuz remains classified as a war zone until 9 July, and maritime navigation issues were on the agenda alongside a durable ceasefire, according to Reuters.
- US and Iran sign protocol after Pakistani-Qatari mediation
- Witkoff and Kushner meet Qatari PM in Doha
- Technical indirect talks held; asset-access deal and communication channel agreed
- Deadline to activate violation-reporting channel
- Strait of Hormuz war-zone designation expires
Trump hails progress
Speaking to reporters before boarding a new presidential aircraft gifted by Qatar for a trip to North Dakota, President Donald Trump welcomed what he called "very good" meetings.
He added that "we hit them very hard" but "we get along very well," and described the process as all going smoothly. Trump referred to the diplomatic push simply as "denuclearisation," while Iranian officials have stressed that talks focus on implementing the protocol rather than broader normalisation.The denuclearisation of Iran is progressing well. They had very good meetings.
Iranian position
Tehran has so far refused any direct exchanges with US representatives in Doha. Gharibabadi, speaking after the session, underscored that the agreement on frozen assets was a tangible outcome:
The arrangement is limited to humanitarian and essential goods, but the exact scope remains unspecified. Both sides now face the test of whether the new violation-reporting channel can stabilise the truce and build momentum before the deadline looming in the Strait of Hormuz.There was an agreement that based on the needs expressed by our country, the requested products will be acquired and made available to Iran.
