DUBAI — Planned U.S.-Iran technical talks on implementing an interim nuclear-related agreement were in doubt on Monday after a weekend exchange of military strikes deepened uncertainty over whether the two sides could quickly return to negotiations, despite continued mediation efforts.
The latest violence prompted conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran over the status of the discussions, which had been expected to address technical aspects of a memorandum of understanding reached earlier this month.
Iran canceled its participation in scheduled technical talks following the recent attacks, according to Mehdi Fazaeili, a representative of the Office for the Preservation and Publication of the Works of Iran's Supreme Leader, speaking on Iranian state television. He said conditions that Tehran considers necessary for continuing the process, including access to previously unfrozen Iranian funds, had not been met.
U.S. officials, however, maintained that diplomacy remained active. A source familiar with the discussions said mediators had established communication channels aimed at preventing further escalation and that technical contacts were expected to continue in the coming days. The source said discussions were likely to shift toward managing tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz following the latest clashes.
President Donald Trump said the United States expected to meet Iranian representatives in Doha, while Iranian officials publicly disputed the timing of any formal talks. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said consultations with mediators were continuing but that no technical meeting had yet been scheduled for this week and negotiations would proceed only when Tehran judged conditions appropriate.
The uncertainty follows several days of tit-for-tat military action after attacks near the Strait of Hormuz triggered U.S. strikes and Iranian retaliatory attacks against U.S. military facilities in the Gulf, according to officials from both sides. The renewed violence raised concerns that the fragile interim agreement reached earlier this month could unravel before implementation measures are finalized.
The interim accord is intended to reduce regional tensions while addressing issues including maritime security, sanctions relief and broader nuclear-related commitments. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies transit.
As of Monday, neither Washington nor Tehran had announced a mutually confirmed date for the next round of technical negotiations, while mediators continued efforts to preserve the diplomatic process and prevent further military escalation.
