Iran-U.S. talks move to Doha after reported breakthrough on nuclear steps, Hormuz navigation and financial incentives

Iran and the United States have made progress in indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar, with an American delegation expected to join Iranian negotiators in Doha for direct talks, according to sources close to the mediation effort cited by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

The newspaper reported that the breakthrough followed intensive Qatari talks in Tehran on Friday and involved preliminary understandings on Iran’s nuclear program, navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and financial incentives for Tehran. Ğ

An Iranian negotiating team returned to Doha with the Qatari delegation, and talks are expected to resume on Saturday.

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said a U.S. delegation would join the talks in Doha, potentially opening a direct negotiating channel between Washington and Tehran.

However, an Iranian source separately told the newspaper that negotiations with the United States were still being conducted indirectly through mediators, creating uncertainty over whether face-to-face talks had formally begun.

The report also said China and Russia could act as guarantors of any eventual agreement.

Reuters independently confirmed that Qatari mediators had returned to Tehran to push for a U.S.-Iran deal and were coordinating with Washington, but did not report a finalized agreement on direct talks or guarantor states.

Axios also reported that Qatari mediators spent more than 12 hours in Tehran on Friday and made “positive progress,” while talks were set to continue in Doha.

No final agreement has been announced by Washington or Tehran, and key disputes remain over the sequencing of nuclear concessions, sanctions relief, oil exports and maritime restrictions.