Trump says Doha talks with Iran are on, Tehran denies any meeting is scheduled

Fresh uncertainty clouded US-Iran diplomacy on Tuesday after President Donald Trump insisted that talks with Tehran would take place in Doha, while Iranian officials publicly denied that any meeting with Washington had been scheduled.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump said discussions involving Iran were set to take place in Qatar and would focus on Tehran's nuclear programme.

"There'll be a meeting on that tomorrow in Doha," Trump said, describing the proposed talks as part of efforts aimed at the "denuclearisation of Iran."

"We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon — and they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. They've agreed to that in all fairness," he added.

Trump's remarks followed a post on Truth Social a day earlier in which he claimed Iran had requested a meeting and that it would take place in Doha.

"IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!" Trump wrote, without identifying the participants.

Tehran, however, quickly rejected the claim.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said no negotiations with the United States were planned in the coming days and stressed that there would be no talks "at any level" between the two countries.

"We will not have any negotiation meetings at any level with the American side in the coming days," Baghaei said.

The contradictory statements have raised questions over the status of US-Iran engagement at a time when both countries are trying to preserve a fragile ceasefire following months of conflict.

According to Reuters, the United States plans to send presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to lead its delegation. Iran is also sending a technical team to Qatar this week. However, Baghaei insisted that the Iranian delegation's visit had "no relation" to the presence of American officials and should not be interpreted as a sign of bilateral talks.

Despite the public denials, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that a meeting in Doha was expected to take place on Tuesday. Unlike earlier technical discussions held in Switzerland, the talks would reportedly focus on reducing tensions and ensuring stability in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy transit routes.

Another official familiar with the plans said American and Iranian technical teams were expected to hold separate meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators on Wednesday.

The confusion comes as weekend missile and drone exchanges between the two sides tested an interim ceasefire designed to end a four-month conflict. The United States has accused Iran of striking at least two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days and carried out attacks on Iranian military facilities over the weekend. Iran, in turn, launched missiles and drones targeting US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain on Sunday.

The ceasefire is part of a broader memorandum of understanding that gives both countries time to negotiate issues ranging from Iran's nuclear programme and sanctions relief to regional security arrangements. However, implementation has been uneven, with both sides accusing the other of violating commitments.

The uncertainty over the proposed Doha talks has added to concerns about the durability of the agreement. It has also complicated efforts to calm tensions elsewhere in the region, particularly in Lebanon, where Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has questioned a US-backed arrangement with Israel aimed at ending hostilities. With the US-Iran understanding also linked to reducing tensions involving Iran-backed Hezbollah, the lack of clarity over whether Washington and Tehran are even meeting has fuelled doubts about broader efforts to secure a lasting regional truce.

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