{"id":1610,"date":"2026-06-30T15:10:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T15:10:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/06\/30\/middle-east-live-qatar-says-no-direct-us-iran-talks-to-take-place-in-doha\/"},"modified":"2026-06-30T15:10:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T15:10:54","slug":"middle-east-live-qatar-says-no-direct-us-iran-talks-to-take-place-in-doha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=1610","title":{"rendered":"Middle East live: Qatar says no direct US-Iran talks to take place in Doha"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"t-content t-content--article t-content--liveblog\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-main\">\n<div class=\"a-status-tag a-status-tag--breaking\">Live<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">Middle East live: Qatar says no direct US-Iran talks to take place in Doha<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T04:00:54+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 06:00<\/time><\/span><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Modified: <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T14:29:30+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 16:29<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                        <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/france-24\/\" title=\"FRANCE 24\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                FRANCE 24<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main-media\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/70a32612-3865-11f1-b01b-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/8023416733001.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/70a32612-3865-11f1-b01b-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:16x9\/8023416733001.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/70a32612-3865-11f1-b01b-005056bf30b7\/w:720\/p:16x9\/8023416733001.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/70a32612-3865-11f1-b01b-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/8023416733001.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"Doha, Qatar, March 8, 2026\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                File photo: Doha, Qatar shown on March 8, 2026.        \u00a9 Hannibal Hanschke, EFE    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main\" data-article-content>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                Mediator Qatar said on Tuesday that no high-level meetings or direct talks between the United States and Iran were planned in Doha after Washington said it had sent a top delegation for negotiations.\u00a0Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.            <\/p>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<div id=\"em-WBMZ563018-F24-EN-20260630\" class=\"m-em-liveblog\" data-liveblog>\n<div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T14:28:12+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 16:28<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>Iran prepares for late supreme leader&#8217;s funeral<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.eu.getarena.im\/cm\/6a43d228504e0f6cbd5f7bc8.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><em class=\"ql-size-small\">A billboard depicting Iran&#8217;s slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a strike on the first day of the US-Israeli war against the Iran on February 28, in Tehran on June 30, 2026 ahead of his public funeral. Photo by AFP<\/em><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Giant portraits of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran&#8217;s late supreme leader killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, hung from Tehran&#8217;s Grand Mosalla on Tuesday as workers raced to prepare for his grand funeral ceremony.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>His funeral, initially delayed at the height of the Middle East war, will take place as Iran and the United States uphold a fragile ceasefire after signing a preliminary deal to halt the conflict.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Khamenei, a spiritual figure for many Shias, was killed aged 86 at his compound in the centre of the Iranian capital on February 28, the first day of the war.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>His public funeral will begin on Saturday, with his body lying in state at the colossal complex in central Tehran that hosts major Friday prayers, official ceremonies and religious gatherings.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T14:18:37+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 16:18<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Talking is better than fighting and dialogue is better than confrontation,&#8217; Beijing says of tenuous US-Iran ceasefire<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T12:43:56+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 14:43<\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T12:39:59+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 14:39<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>US envoys Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Doha for talks with Qatari mediators<\/h2>\n<p>Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump\u2019s special Mideast envoy, and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, landed in Doha on Tuesday for talks with Qatari mediators about the implementation of an initial deal to end hostilities between the US and Iran after a weekend of crossfire in the Persian Gulf over control of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The envoys won\u2019t be having direct negotiations with Iranian diplomats while in Qatar\u2019s capital, Doha, said Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar\u2019s Foreign Ministry. Instead, mediators are working for the time being as go-betweens for the talks, which won\u2019t include any high-level officials, he added.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Such indirect negotiations have happened in the past between Iran and the US. However, the two previous rounds of talks collapsed as the US and Israel launched deadly bombardments of Iran, first in last year&#8217;s 12-day war and more recently in February.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T12:24:17+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 14:24<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>Tehran is determined to keep managing the Strait of Hormuz, foreign ministry spokesman says<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T12:11:47+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 14:11<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>Iran says will respond to any US violation of memorandum of understanding<\/h2>\n<p>Iran will respond to any US violation of the memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war in the Middle East, its foreign ministry spokesperson said.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We will not leave any action unanswered. As Iran&#8217;s powerful armed forces have demonstrated, any act of aggression against the objectives of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be met with an immediate and decisive response,&#8221; Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters at a weekly press conference.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Such actions would constitute a violation of Article 1 of the memorandum of understanding. Naturally, if such violations are repeated and continue, the continuation of this process will encounter difficulties.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T11:57:56+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 13:57<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>Iran and Qatar to discuss interim US deal and frozen funds<\/h2>\n<p>Iran is \u200bset to hold \u200btalks with mediator Qatar on Wednesday to discuss the \u200bimplementation \u200cof the interim \u2060deal between Tehran and \u200cWashington, Iran&#8217;s foreign ministry spokesperson said, \u2060adding the release of Iran&#8217;s frozen assets would \u200bbe a key \u200ctopic of discussion.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday \u200cno meeting was planned \u200bwith the US side in the coming days and that \u200bsteps to release \u200bits frozen funds were \u200bunderway.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Qatar&#8217;s foreign ministry spokesperson said \u200bon Tuesday that $6 billion of Iran&#8217;s frozen funds in Qatar \u2060had not yet been transferred to \u2060Tehran.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T11:56:23+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 13:56<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>Iran to hold talks with Qatar on frozen assets, foreign ministry says<\/h2>\n<p>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 Gulf state, where delegations from both sides were expected.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;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&#8217;s restricted assets, and these discussions will be held with the Qatari side,&#8221; foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters at a weekly press conference.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T10:46:23+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 12:46<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>Qatar says no direct US-Iran talks to take place in Doha<\/h2>\n<p>Mediator Qatar said on Tuesday that no high-level meetings or direct talks between the United States and Iran were planned in Doha after Washington said it had sent a top delegation for negotiations.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;To the best of my knowledge, there are no direct meetings scheduled between the two parties in the coming days,&#8221; foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari told reporters in Doha, adding that the American team would meet with mediators. &#8220;To my knowledge there is no high-level meeting between the two sides.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T09:59:19+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 11:59<\/time>                        <\/p>\n<ul id=\"posts-summary\">\n<li><a href=\"#post=bHwVVJldn0bYdBARknr5\">US and Iranian delegations in Qatar, no bilateral meeting confirmed<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#post=Uei2ATVaaHtM1qclPTzf\">Tehran is determined to keep managing the Strait of Hormuz, foreign ministry spokesman says<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T08:13:15+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 10:13<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>US envoys Witkoff, Kushner meeting mediators in Doha: Qatari spokesman<\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0US envoys were meeting with Qatari mediators on Tuesday, the Gulf state&#8217;s foreign ministry spokesman said, after Washington said it was sending a negotiating team.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Mr. Steve Witfoff and Mr. Jared Kushner are here in Doha to meet with mediators, with Qatari officials, and the talks will be around all regional issues &#8230; including, of course, negotiations with Iran, but also including Lebanon,&#8221; foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They are not here for their negotiations with the Iranians,&#8221; he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T05:40:07+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 07:40<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>Germany&#8217;s foreign ministry says US-Iran agreement to cease attacks is an &#8216;important step&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>In a post on X, Germany&#8217;s foreign ministry called the mutual agreement between the US and Iran to halt mutual attacks an &#8220;important step&#8221;, adding that the priority now is that safe and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T04:59:57+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 06:59<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>Two revolutionary guards killed by unknown gunmen, Iran state media says<\/h2>\n<p>Two \u200bmembers of \u200bIran&#8217;s Revolutionary Guards were killed and \u200btwo \u200cothers \u2060wounded in \u200cwhat the Guards described \u2060as a &#8220;terrorist&#8221; shooting in the \u200bwestern province \u200cof Kermanshah on Monday evening, \u200cstate media \u200breported on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The attackers opened fire outside \u200bthe Guards \u200bmembers&#8217; \u200bhome and authorities were \u200binvestigating to identify those responsible, state media \u2060reported.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T04:02:22+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 06:02<\/time><\/p>\n<h2>US and Iranian delegations in Qatar, no bilateral meeting confirmed<\/h2>\n<p><span>The US and\u00a0<\/span>Iran<span>\u00a0have a roughly mid-August deadline to reach a permanent peace deal including an agreement on\u00a0<\/span>Iran<span>&#8216;s disputed nuclear program.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span>What\u2019s ahead are technical talks involving lower-level diplomats before any return to the table by top negotiators. Mediators are eager to get going. Pakistan, a key mediator along with Qatar, has said talks would resume Tuesday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span>White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Monday that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump\u2019s son-in-law, were flying to Qatar to meet with the Iranians and that technical negotiations would occur on the sidelines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span>Later, Iranian state media cited Baghaei as saying an expert delegation will travel to Qatar this week but with no planned US meetings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span>There\u2019s plenty to discuss, including arrangements around the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions waivers on\u00a0<\/span>Iran<span>\u00a0and the future of\u00a0<\/span>Iran<span>\u2019s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n                        <time datetime=\"2026-06-30T03:51:10+00:00\">30\/06\/2026 &#8211; 05:51<\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260629-middle-east-live-lebanon-rejects-us%E2%80%93israel-framework-hezbollah-asserts-right-to-self-defence\" target=\"_self\">Yesterday&#8217;s key developments:<\/a><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/lebanon\/\" target=\"_self\">Lebanese<\/a>\u00a0state media said an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_self\">Israeli<\/a> strike hit the country&#8217;s south\u00a0despite a framework accord signed by the two countries last week aimed at securing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/peace\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">peace<\/a> deal.<\/li>\n<li>US \u200bPresident \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_self\">Donald Trump<\/a> on Monday \u200btold \u200creporters \u2060in \u200cthe Oval \u2060Office that the \u200bUS-Iran meeting \u200cin <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/qatar\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Qatar<\/a> \u200cthis \u200bweek will be &#8220;perhaps important, perhaps not&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li>The removal \u200bof mines from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/strait-of-hormuz\/\" target=\"_self\">Strait \u200bof Hormuz<\/a> is to be carried out solely by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Iran<\/a> \u200baccording to \u200cthe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/islamabad\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Islamabad<\/a> \u2060MoU between Tehran and Washington, \u200cIran&#8217;s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi \u2060said in a post on X on Monday, in \u200bresponse to French President \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/emmanuel-macron\/\" target=\"_self\">Emmanuel Macron<\/a>&#8216;s comments on the subject.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__below-main\">\n<div class=\"t-content__tags\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran\">    Iran<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/lebanon\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Lebanon\">    Lebanon<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/hezbollah\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Hezbollah\">    Hezbollah<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Israel\">    Israel<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/usa\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"USA\">    USA<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran war\">    Iran war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Live Middle East live: Qatar says no direct US-Iran talks to take place in Doha&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1610"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1610\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}