U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner continued indirect negotiations with Iran through Qatari mediators as President Donald Trump said denuclearization efforts were “moving along well” while military options remained under review.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
U.S. and Iranian representatives continued a second day of indirect nuclear deescalation talks in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday as President Donald Trump said negotiations were progressing while reports indicated his administration had recently reviewed options for renewed military strikes against Iran.
The talks are being conducted through Qatari mediators because Iranian officials have refused to meet directly with the U.S. delegation. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are leading the American side in Doha.
A senior U.S. official told Fox News that Witkoff and Kushner are making progress in technical talks despite the lack of face-to-face meetings with Iranian representatives.
The negotiations are tied to a previously agreed memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Tehran will not move toward a final agreement until commitments under the MOU begin to be implemented.
The diplomatic push comes as tensions remain high in and around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian state-linked media reported Wednesday that a foreign cargo ship had run aground after failing to follow a route approved by Iran.
“Foreign vessel runs aground in Hormuz Strait after straying from route designed by Iran,” Press TV wrote in an early Wednesday X post.
Iranian state broadcasters did not identify the ship’s flag country. The vessel “ran aground with its cargo because of shallow waters along the route it had chosen and was unable to continue sailing,” state broadcasters reported, according to the Associated Press.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has repeatedly said vessels seeking to pass through the Strait of Hormuz must follow IRGC directions. The strait remains a key point of tension in the ongoing negotiations because of its role in global energy shipping.
Trump addressed the Iran talks Wednesday morning at Joint Base Andrews before boarding the newly refurbished Qatari-gifted Air Force One.
Asked about reports that he had met with War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine about possibly resuming full-scale attacks on Iran, Trump said Tehran had made progress but repeated that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.
“Does this mean you’ve been unhappy with Iran’s adherence to the MOU?” a reporter asked.
“Well, I think they’ve come a long way. We hit them very hard last week. I think they’re fine,” Trump said. “It’s the denuclearization of Iran. It’s very simple. And Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon otherwise.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Trump had held “multiple conversations” in recent days with Hegseth and Caine about whether the United States should resume major strikes against Iran.
The discussions reportedly focused on whether Washington should abandon negotiations and return to full-scale attacks, described as “finishing the job.” The report said Trump chose to continue diplomacy for now, believing another round of strikes could derail talks and reduce the chances of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump also told reporters Wednesday that the denuclearization process was moving forward.
“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,” Trump said.
The president said markets and energy prices were responding favorably to the diplomatic effort.
“The stock market is setting records virtually every day. The oil price is way down. We’re down at 68. I see it hit 68 today. That’s lower than when I started the… I guess you could call it an attack on Iran so that they never have a nuclear weapon. So the oil price is now lower, the retail prices, the gasoline is coming down rapidly,” Trump said.
Crude oil futures fell below $69 per barrel Wednesday, marking their lowest level since the Iran war began in February.
The Doha talks are continuing as Washington attempts to preserve the diplomatic path while keeping military options available. Iran’s refusal to meet directly with U.S. officials has left Qatar serving as the primary intermediary as both sides test whether the MOU can move toward a broader agreement.
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