DOHA and DUBAI, July 1 - Technical-level talks between the United States and Iran opened in Doha on Wednesday with the aim of establishing orderly shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and securing a lasting halt to hostilities, according to officials familiar with the negotiations and an Iranian representative.
The meetings are built on a 14-point interim accord reached last month that sought to stop the war triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February and to reopen the vital waterway, while creating a 60-day window for negotiators to work toward a permanent peace arrangement. Despite that framework, public disputes over what the interim pact actually requires have continued and have been accompanied by reciprocal strikes over the past week.
Senior Iranian sources told delegates they will press for international recognition of their authority over the Strait of Hormuz, including the right to impose fees on vessels entering or leaving the Gulf - a stance they say they will uphold even if it requires the use of force. Prior to the conflict, the strait accounted for about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade; since the outbreak of war, traffic has only partly resumed.
Officials described the Doha sessions as structured exchanges between lead negotiators and technical experts. The meetings began on Tuesday night and continued through Wednesday, the Iranian official said. The stated U.S. objective in the talks is to guarantee the free flow of commercial traffic through the strait.
Qatar has served as a mediator in the process alongside Pakistan. The U.S. delegation was supported at a preparatory level by Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff, who met Qatar's prime minister to help lay the groundwork for the Doha discussions, but they did not take part in the talks themselves, according to a source with direct knowledge.
Iran has publicly set two priorities for the current negotiating round: the management of the Strait of Hormuz and securing the release of $6 billion in Iranian assets that remain frozen. The Iranian official said those topics would be the focus of this session.
Shipping in the strait remains fragile. Iran’s state media reported on Wednesday that a foreign container ship ran aground after entering shallow waters outside the route designated by Iranian authorities. Market analysts described the reopening as uneven and lacking clear transparency.
"Hormuz continues to reopen but it’s patchy, unpredictable, and not fully transparent," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.
The wider conflict precipitated Iranian attacks on Gulf states that host U.S. military bases and resulted in thousands of deaths, predominantly in Iran and Lebanon, while contributing to higher oil and fuel prices. Oil markets edged up on Wednesday after earlier falls when hostilities had been paused.
Under the interim accord, the U.S. and Iran also agreed to implications for Lebanon, including ending the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. Separately, Washington has supported a parallel track of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon’s government, producing a framework security deal that Hezbollah has rejected; analysts have cautioned the arrangement could solidify a political stalemate in Lebanon.
Diplomatic activity on Lebanon was intensive through Tuesday evening, including participation by U.S. actors, according to an informed source. Beyond the immediate maritime and asset-management items, negotiators are working within an environment of continued mistrust and reciprocal military actions that have complicated implementation of the interim agreement.
As the Doha talks proceed, attention will remain on whether negotiators can translate the 14-point framework into concrete mechanisms that ensure predictable maritime passage and the controlled release of frozen funds, while preventing renewed escalation that could further disrupt energy markets and regional security.