Iran’s top negotiators have arrived in Qatar for further talks on an emerging peace agreement with the United States, as uncertainty remains over how much progress has been made.
US President Donald Trump says negotiations with Iran are progressing well and calls on Middle Eastern countries to sign the Abraham Accords once a deal is reached.
In a series of social media posts on Saturday, Trump suggested that a deal to end the conflict with Iran could be close. He announced that the two countries had “largely negotiated” a memorandum of PEACE understanding.”
However, both sides have since moderated expectations.
Trump said on Monday that negotiations were “proceeding nicely” but warned that fighting would resume “bigger and stronger than ever before” if the talks failed.
Iran has meanwhile said a “degree of understanding” has been reached, although both sides indicated that a final agreement is not yet imminent.
The latest developments suggest there are still major disagreements to resolve, particularly around the lifting of US sanctions and Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iranian officials say they are not currently discussing details of the country’s nuclear programme. However, a senior US official says Iran has committed in principle to giving up stockpiles of enriched uranium that could potentially be used in the development of nuclear weapons.
The issue remains one of the main obstacles in the negotiations.
Trump has also linked any agreement with Iran to the Abraham Accords, the treaties aimed at normalising relations with Israel.
In the past, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have stated that they would only recognise Israel if Palestinian statehood were agreed to.
Trump’s remarks are seen as an attempt to address criticism from Iran hawks within the Republican Party, including Lindsey Graham, who have warned against making concessions to Tehran.
At the same time, ending the conflict with Iran could help the US administration avoid further economic pressure linked to rising fuel prices ahead of the country’s midterm elections.
Iranian officials arrive in Qatar for peace talks
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