US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Doha for talks with mediators, but neither will meet Iranian officials directly and no high-level US-Iran meeting has been scheduled, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson and Advisor to the Prime Minister Majed bin Mohamed al-Ansari said Tuesday.Speaking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) weekly briefing, al-Ansari said technical-level discussions between the Iranian and US teams are continuing — both directly and indirectly — with technical committees co-ordinating the agenda and subjects for any future high-level meetings. Such technical meetings have continued between rounds since the earlier talks in Lausanne, he said, but none is currently scheduled.The envoys' visit, he added, is part of broader meetings with mediators in Doha covering a range of regional issues, including the Iran negotiations and the Lebanese file. The US delegation is also meeting Qatari officials but will hold no direct talks with the Iranian side, instead reviewing the progress of the negotiations with mediators.Al-Ansari said the Strait of Hormuz is one of the central issues under discussion, alongside other topics set out in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) — among them Iran's nuclear programme and the wider regional situation. Escalation, he warned, only widens the gap between the parties.Qatar's position on the Strait of Hormuz has not changed since the crisis began, he stressed, underlining the need to keep the strategic waterway open, safe and free of any threat to navigation in line with international maritime law. That position is shared by other Gulf and regional states and the wider international community, he said, and Qatar would not accept any change to the strait's status, whether through unilateral action or otherwise.Qatar has maintained almost daily communication with the parties concerned — including its neighbour Oman — to manage developments in the strait, he said, stressing that close regional co-ordination is essential because the crisis directly affects the countries of the region, which must also be part of the solution.Qatar's foremost priority is the safety of crews aboard ships transiting the strait, al-Ansari said, describing human well-being as paramount. The first phase of the understandings focuses on mine-clearing and ensuring safe passage; while some vessels have crossed safely, others have come under attack, indicating that the situation remains unstable.He expressed Qatar's solidarity with Oman against any violation of its sovereignty, whether through attacks or incursions into its territorial waters, and praised France's participation in mine-clearing operations. Clearing the strait is a complex process, he said, and Qatar welcomes any international technical contribution, while stressing that decisions on how such operations are carried out rest with the countries of the region.Al-Ansari revealed that a dedicated direct channel for de-escalation in the Strait of Hormuz had been used to help contain recent confrontations, adding that communication channels had been established for this purpose and that the region's states were capable of resolving their differences through dialogue.On Iran's frozen assets and the proposed transfer of $6bn through Qatari banks, he said the issue — linked to a 2023 agreement to set up a humanitarian channel in Qatar — has remained under discussion since then. Qatar does not own the funds but acts as the financial intermediary managing the accounts, he said; whether the money is transferred depends on the agreement of both parties, and no transfer has yet been made by the US.On compensation for Iran or any other affected party, al-Ansari said it was too early to discuss such matters, adding that "there are no winners in wars; everyone suffers losses." Qatar's immediate priorities, he stressed, are ending the conflict, restoring normal navigation through the strait, and protecting the region's peoples from further escalation.He said Qatar had itself been subjected to attacks that violated its sovereignty but had repelled them through the wisdom of its leadership and the capability of its armed forces, leaving the door open for negotiation and dialogue. Referring to the recent death of a Qatari citizen at sea, he said the martyrdom could be attributed to shrapnel from military operations in neighbouring areas.Restoring the region to its pre-war state requires serious consideration, al-Ansari said, noting that the conflict had affected regional relations, maritime security and the broader security architecture of the Middle East. For Qatar, he added, there is no alternative to dialogue and to regional solutions that take account of the reservations and security concerns of all parties — the ultimate aim being greater regional integration, both economically and in terms of security.On guarantees, he said all wartime guarantees were ultimately subject to realities on the ground — the current reality being a ceasefire, an MoU and an ongoing negotiation track supported by Qatar as mediator. The most important guarantee, he said, lay in reaching a peaceful settlement and ending the war.Al-Ansari said there was no information indicating that a high-level Iranian delegation would visit Doha for direct or indirect negotiations, with the immediate focus remaining on the safety and security of regional and international navigation through the strait.On Qatar's humanitarian efforts during the Russia-Ukraine war, he said more than 100 children from both sides had been reunited with their families, and the process was continuing.
