By Gloria Ogbonna
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that Tehran remains committed to honoring its obligations under the recently signed memorandum of understanding with the United States, provided Washington fulfills its own commitments. His remarks come as both countries prepare for anticipated high-level discussions in Doha aimed at preventing another escalation after a tense weekend confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz briefly threatened the fragile ceasefire.
In a message posted on X, Pezeshkian stressed that any agreement can only succeed if both parties respect its terms. He described diplomacy as a two-way process built on mutual trust and responsibility.
“Mutual understanding is a two-way street. If the American side adheres to the agreement, we will also fulfill our commitments,” the Iranian president wrote.
Pezeshkian also said Iran would continue responding to what he described as “unreasonable saber-rattling and baseless threats” with “rationality and human dignity in decision-making.” At the same time, he warned that Iran remains fully prepared to defend itself if necessary, emphasizing that the country would act “decisively and fearlessly” whenever its national interests are threatened.
His comments came as Washington and Tehran sought to revive diplomatic engagement after a weekend flare-up in the Strait of Hormuz raised fears that the newly signed memorandum could collapse before implementation had fully begun.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday that Iran had requested another round of talks and confirmed that senior American officials would travel to Doha on Tuesday for what could become a significant step toward preserving the agreement.
“Iran has requested a meeting. It will take place tomorrow in Doha!” Trump wrote on Truth Social before later speaking to reporters in the Oval Office.
The president described the upcoming discussions as potentially significant but remained cautious about predicting the outcome.
“Perhaps important, perhaps not,” Trump said. “We’re going to find out.”
<a href=”http://
.@POTUS on Iran: “The meeting in Doha is going to be perhaps important, perhaps not. We’re going to find out… It’s really very simple. It’s the denuclearization of Iran. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon — and they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.” pic.twitter.com/EJO2IbGZty
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 29, 2026
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Despite the recent military exchanges, Trump insisted the administration’s primary objective has not changed. He reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains the central goal of U.S. policy.
“We are winning militarily. It’s almost won militarily, I would say,” Trump said. “It’s really very simple. It’s the denuclearization of Iran. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon, and they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. And they’ve agreed to that, in all fairness.”
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Doha for what she described as high-level diplomatic meetings. She added that technical discussions involving experts from both sides are also expected to take place alongside the main negotiations.
According to Leavitt, the administration believes the United States has continued to honor its commitments under both the ceasefire and the memorandum despite the recent violence. However, she made clear that Washington remains prepared to respond forcefully if Iran launches additional attacks.
“As far as we’re concerned, we’re holding up our end of the ceasefire,” Leavitt said during an interview on Fox News. “Violence will be met with violence.”
She noted that while the United States had responded militarily after attacks targeting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump continues to prioritize diplomacy and hopes the peace process can move forward successfully.
Iranian officials, however, publicly pushed back on Washington’s characterization of the upcoming meetings.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said an Iranian expert delegation would indeed travel to Doha to discuss implementation of the memorandum but insisted that Tehran has not yet entered formal negotiations toward a comprehensive final agreement.
Baghaei stated that, over the coming days, Iran does not expect to hold direct negotiations with U.S. officials at any level, emphasizing that the current discussions are focused strictly on implementing the existing framework.
Senior Iranian negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi also said reports suggesting Iranian and American technical teams would meet directly in Doha had not been confirmed. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that consultations with Qatar regarding implementation of the agreement remain ongoing.
The renewed diplomatic efforts follow a dangerous weekend in which tensions escalated sharply after Iran launched attacks against commercial shipping passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime trade routes.
The United States responded with two rounds of retaliatory strikes targeting Iranian military facilities, prompting fears that the fragile ceasefire could quickly unravel into a broader regional conflict.
Despite the exchange of military action, officials from both countries later signaled a willingness to de-escalate. Trump administration officials said Sunday that Washington and Tehran had agreed to stand down and resume diplomatic contacts after both sides worked to contain the crisis before it spiraled further.
Trump nevertheless warned that repeated Iranian violations of the ceasefire could force the United States to expand its military campaign.
He cautioned that if Iran continues to ignore the agreement, Washington could be compelled to “militarily complete the job” it had begun, adding that the Islamic Republic “will no longer exist” if a broader conflict becomes unavoidable.
Following the U.S. retaliatory strikes, Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting U.S.-linked facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait while accusing Washington of violating the memorandum and escalating the conflict.
The memorandum, signed earlier this month, established a 60-day framework designed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz fully, restore safe commercial shipping through the vital waterway, and launch broader negotiations addressing Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, frozen Iranian assets, regional security, and several other longstanding disputes between the two nations.
Tuesday’s expected discussions in Doha are anticipated to focus primarily on implementing the agreement and preventing another military confrontation, even as Washington and Tehran continue to publicly present different interpretations of the scope and purpose of the negotiations.
Diplomats and international observers will be watching closely to see whether the talks can preserve the fragile ceasefire and lay the groundwork for more comprehensive negotiations aimed at reducing one of the world’s most volatile geopolitical tensions.
Source Breitbart