Indirect technical talks between the United States and Iran are underway in Doha, with Qatar and Pakistan acting as mediators, a source with direct knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Wednesday.
According to the source, US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, met Qatar’s prime minister on Tuesday to prepare the groundwork for the technical discussions but are not participating in Wednesday’s talks.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration remained in a “great position” regardless of the outcome of the negotiations. Speaking to Fox News, Vance said Washington hoped the talks would succeed but maintained that the US held a stronger position than Iran even if they failed.
Vance also claimed that Iran’s nuclear programme and military capabilities had been significantly degraded, warning that any future Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would trigger a US military response.
He added that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have returned to pre-war levels and expressed confidence that a successful agreement could lead to a lasting settlement. Tehran, however, has denied that peace talks with the United States are taking place.