Araghchi calls US letter a positive step, rules out meeting American officials; Iranian team in Doha

DOHA/TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that the United States’ attempt to reopen the door to talks is a positive step, but there is currently no plan to meet American officials. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Saturday, he said the Iranian delegation had reached Doha, the capital of Qatar.

According to Araghchi, Iran has brought the letter from US Vice President JD Vance before high-level meetings. He warned that if the aim of the letter was to fuel differences, it would be another mistake by Washington.

He described reports about meetings as mere media speculation. He said direct or indirect talks depended on Iran’s conditions being met, and that mediators from Qatar and Pakistan were continuing consultations on those conditions.

According to CNBC, a source said Qatari mediators held talks in Tehran for more than 12 hours on Friday. The aim was to prevent a possible resumption of attacks on Iran after the US midterm elections. The elections are on Tuesday, 3 November.

Araghchi said discussions had been held on reducing the time needed to implement Iran’s proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz to two days, compared with Qatar’s proposal of five days. Iran’s conditions include lifting the sanctions imposed after the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, reducing US forces in the region, restoring oil waivers and returning all frozen funds, including those in Qatar. Iran is also demanding recognition of the shipping routes agreed with Oman.

Araghchi said Iran does not rule out a possible attack and its forces are at the highest level of readiness. A statement on the Telegram account of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei spoke of responding immediately to any threat, without regard to geographical limits.

The war began on 28 February with US and Israeli attacks. A preliminary agreement reached on 17 June collapsed a few weeks later. The last confirmed US strikes took place on 1 September.