A new development is adding to the Iranian thriller. Alongside the alleged negotiations of technical teams in Doha, Qatar today, July 1, 2026, the American amphibious warship USS Tripoli, carrying 2,200 marines, is also menacingly approaching Iran once again. A spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Americans Witkoff and Kushner are in Doha, Qatar and will not meet directly with Iranian officials. Furthermore, the 6 billion dollars in frozen Iranian assets have not yet been transferred to Iran. US Vice President JD Vance stated regarding Iran: "We want lasting commitments that are verifiable and backed by inspections ensuring that Iran will denuclearize the entire country." Iran, however, makes it clear that Hormuz "is our territorial waters." "We will not allow the United States to create disputes or sophistries by claiming that Iran has militarized the Strait of Hormuz."
New development – Amphibious ship USS Boxer Tripoli with 2,200 marines approaches Iran – Mobilization of the Iranian military
According to American sources, the Boxer-class amphibious warship USS Tripoli, carrying 2,200 marines, is heading toward Iran. The amphibious ship USS Boxer Tripoli features a deck that allows the vessel to utilize smaller craft for ground assaults and also enables armored vehicles to reach the shore. This feature gives American Marines a greater capability to conduct a ground offensive against Iran.
Qatar: No high-level meeting scheduled between US and Iran
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar stated that Witkoff and Kushner, from the American side, are in Doha, the capital of Qatar, and will not meet directly with Iranian officials. Additionally, the 6 billion dollars in frozen Iranian assets have not yet been transferred to Iran. Based on other sources, there may be a meeting between Witkoff and Kushner and the Emir of Qatar. Witkoff and Kushner, special envoys of the US President, are expected to meet with Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, during their trip to Doha.
Iraq is ready to host Iran-US talks
The Iraqi ambassador to Russia stated: "In 2014, Iraq hosted the first indirect talks between the United States and Iran." Iraq is always ready to play this role, but it depends on the will and desire of the two partners, the United States and Iran.
Bloomberg: Positive talks for Witkoff, Kushner in Qatar regarding Iran
American sources, insisting that technical talks with Iran are ongoing, claimed that the contacts held in Doha regarding Iran recorded "positive progress." According to the Mehr agency, Bloomberg reported, citing a US official, that the special envoy of the US President, Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who are participating in the American diplomatic effort for Iran, had positive talks with regional leaders in Doha. The same source added that technical contacts between the US and Iran continue within the framework of efforts to reach understandings on ending the conflicts.
In the same context, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the country's prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, met with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The meeting focused on the ongoing talks within the framework of the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US to end the conflicts. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that the two sides also reviewed the latest developments in the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, and exchanged views on ways to support regional stability. Bloomberg's claim comes at a time when US Vice President JD Vance made contradictory statements, arguing that negotiations with Iran are still in an initial stage. At the same time, he warned that the US government possesses multiple leverage tools, which it has not yet used, in order to secure results in Washington's favor.
JD Vance: We want lasting commitments from Iran that are verifiable
US Vice President JD Vance claimed that technical negotiations are underway with the Iranian side for a peace agreement. In an interview, Vance claimed: "We want lasting, verifiable, inspection-based commitments to ensure that Iran will completely dismantle its nuclear program." He claimed that "technical negotiations are underway between Iran and the United States for a peace agreement."
The US Vice President also claimed that Trump is willing to order bombings only when such action is consistent with achieving a specific goal. Vance also claimed, referring to developments in Lebanon: "Lebanon and Israel are now talking directly to each other… something that did not exist a few months ago. Both sides are largely on the same path." Vance continued by claiming: "One could even argue that if we align the Lebanon-Israel peace agreement with the agreement signed between Iran and the United States, both documents essentially emphasize the same point: that the territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected. Thus, the situation has certainly changed. The question is whether this change will be permanent or not."
Baghaei (Iranian MFA spokesperson): Iran-Qatar talks will focus on the memorandum and frozen assets
The talks between Iran and Qatar taking place today, Wednesday, July 1, will focus on the implementation of Tehran's agreement with the US, as well as on Iran's frozen assets, stated the spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baghaei. Esmaeil Baghaei mentioned that what will "most likely take place today in Doha" is a "discussion with the Qatari side regarding the implementation of certain provisions of the memorandum of understanding, including the provision concerning the release of Iran's restricted assets." He added that Iran's negotiating team does not plan to meet with the American delegation in the coming days.
The spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed al-Ansari, stated that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, arrived in Doha to meet with Qatari mediators, underlining however that no meeting with Iranian officials is to take place. He also added that the 6 billion dollars of Iran's blocked funds have not yet been transferred to Tehran, but clarified that this will happen "depending on the progress of negotiations."
Iran: We will not have any negotiating meeting at any level with the American side
A spokesperson for the Iranian negotiating team stated regarding the news of the visit of senior American representatives to Doha, simultaneous with the Iranian delegation of experts in Qatar: "We will not have any negotiating meeting at any level with the American side in the coming days, and the fact that American representatives are in Qatar has nothing to do with the trip of the Iranian delegation, which is taking place to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the memorandum of understanding, including Article 11."
Strait of Hormuz: Iran's greatest source of leverage – Oman and Iran have agreed on the future of Hormuz
Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, characterizes the Strait of Hormuz as Iran's main strategic asset, emphasizing that the country will not back down from its sovereign rights over the vital waterway. The memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States provides only a temporary exemption from fees for maritime services in the strait and does not alter Iran's position on the issue of sovereignty. "These are our territorial waters," he said. "We will not allow the United States to create disputes or sophistries by claiming that Iran has militarized the Strait of Hormuz."
According to Iran, the 5th clause of the memorandum stipulates that Iran and Oman will jointly determine the future administration and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states. "Iran and Oman have already reached an agreement on all legal and operational issues." According to Qalibaf, Iran will not proceed to subsequent stages of implementing the memorandum until five core provisions are fully executed. "Until all five provisions of the agreement are fully consolidated and finalized, Iran will not proceed to the next stage of implementing the remaining provisions."
According to Qalibaf, these clauses cover the areas of ending the war, restoring Lebanon's sovereignty, lifting the illegal US naval blockade against Iran, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, securing Iranian oil exports, and releasing frozen Iranian assets. He added that paragraph 13 of the memorandum stipulates that the implementation of the remaining paragraphs can only begin after the fulfillment of those marked as 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11, referring to the aforementioned provisions.
Wall Street Journal: No problem for Trump if Iran negotiations exceed 60 days
US President Donald Trump has informed his associates that he does not view it as a problem if negotiations with Tehran extend beyond the 60-day deadline provided for in the memorandum of understanding, the Wall Street Journal claims in a report, citing sources. According to the same sources, in recent days the American president held several meetings with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, during which the possibility of resuming military operations against the Islamic Republic was examined.
Donald Trump assessed that a new round of extended attacks would undermine diplomatic efforts and reduce Washington's chances of achieving the elimination of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. The report highlights that Trump has not yet made a definitive decision on the matter. However, he informed his associates that he would have no objection if negotiations with Iran to reach an agreement on its nuclear program are extended and surpass the final deadline of August 18.
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