US, Iran agree to continue discussions to end war following indirect talks in Qatar

Supervising Producer

WASHINGTON —

The United States and Iran agreed to continue working to permanently end the war between them. Representatives from both nations recently concluded separate meetings with mediators in Qatar.

According to a joint statement from Qatar and Pakistan’s Foreign Ministries, which are key mediators between the U.S. and Iran, the next meeting is expected to take place after the funeral of Iran’s late supreme leader, who was killed by the U.S. military.

A six-day funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei begins on Saturday and will take place in Iran and Iraq.

Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, participated in the discussions in Qatar. They’re part of the team led by Vice President JD Vance that is negotiating with the Iranians.

A major sticking point in the negotiations is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that carries one-fifth of the world’s oil.

Trade intelligence firm Kpler verified 34 crossings of the Strait on Tuesday. That number doesn’t account for anonymous crossings that are taking place, but totals are likely lower than the pre-war average of roughly 130 crossings daily.

Tehran is demanding control over the shipping routes and the ability to charge fees for passage, a condition the U.S. considers a red line.

On Thursday, Iran’s military said ships that don’t use Iran’s approved routes will face a “forceful response.” Kazem Gharibabadi, one of Iran’s top negotiators, posted online, “Hormuz is defined under Iran’s command,” adding, “The region’s security will be ensured through the end of interventions and the U.S. withdrawal from the area.”

The Trump administration is also set to address Iran’s nuclear program and push for nuclear inspections, an idea Tehran appears resistant to.

Earlier this month, both sides agreed to an interim deal for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium, which can be used to build a nuclear weapon. The agreement gives both sides 60 days to negotiate broader agreements.

As negotiations continue, Vance warned that U.S. strikes remain an option if Iran does not meet key goals.

“If they try to rebuild that nuclear program, if they refuse to let inspections in, if they keep, I should say, resume shooting at commercial vessels, which they have stopped for a few days, then obviously, the president still has a lot of options on the table,” Vance said.

On Thursday, both Vance and President Donald Trump highlighted lower oil and gas prices as benefits of the negotiations.

Trump assessed the talks on Thursday, saying, “The denuclearization of Iran is moving along well. They’ve had very good meetings, and we’ll see. We hit them very hard for three nights, as you know, but we’re getting along very well. So, I call it the denuclearization, and it’s all taking place, it’s all going well. The stock market is setting records virtually every day. The oil price is way down.”

Gas prices have decreased, offering relief to families ahead of the July Fourth weekend. However, experts caution that prices could rise again if the conflict escalates.

Today, AAA is reporting the current average for a gallon of regular gas is $3.84. That’s a big difference compared to May when gas prices peaked at $4.56 per gallon, but still well above the $2.98 average the day the war started.

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