US and Iran – are the talks happening?
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk. With Aviva Insurance.
high level American delegation is travelling to Doha today for talks with Iran but Iran says no meeting has been planned. Now this confusion points to a peace deal really on the edge with the two countries having less than 60 days to negotiate a permanent end to the war. International journalist and presenter Sally Lockwood joins me now. Sally thank you for being with us. Can you shed any light on what is or isn't happening in relation to this meeting today?
Hi to you, Claire. It feels like the same story every time we speak, trying to decipher the messaging from both sides who clearly have their own agendas and are speaking to their own domestic audiences.
What recent developments are happening in US-Iran talks?
But I think we can say with some certainty that there are going to be two delegations in Doha this week. Steve Witkoff is reportedly already on his way, Donald Trump's special envoy. Jared Kushner is reportedly joining him. And the Iranians are sending a delegation for technical talks this week. But both sides are describing the scenario differently. Donald Trump announced that the Iranians requested this meeting that would be held in Doha, whereas the Iranians are flat out denying that they're going to be meeting with the Americans, that the technical delegation that they're sending for talks are not in any way anything to do with the Americans who are arriving in Doha. But I think we can expect that both sides will be holding talks
Why is there confusion about the planned meetings in Doha?
in some respect, between mediators at some point this week. But I just can't think, I don't think we can say with any certainty that it's going to take place today. And it is definitely not a scheduling mix up. This is just all part of the war of words.
Because I mentioned, you know, that the clock is ticking now on this 60 day countdown, and we're well into that now too. So do you suspect that there are meetings at some level happening, even if the very high level, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, meetings are not.
I mean, it would be highly unlikely that they would be sending such senior envoys without some degree of certainty that it wouldn't be a completely wasted trip. I think what we can expect is some sort of face-saving hybrid that technical teams will meet in Doha in the coming days. But whether that's going to be senior members meeting in person or some sort of photo opportunity, I don't think we can expect that. the two sides finally met in Switzerland after a whole lot of uncertainty. And then the Iranian delegation, I'm sure you remember, Claire, left the room. They walked out during the talks because Donald Trump dropped several truth bombs on Truth Social, threatening the Iranians, and it all fell apart.
So, you know, they're delicate. This is so delicate. And we're only 10 days into these talks, but it feels like they haven't really made any progress. They're still trying to iron out the very urgent issues, such as the Strait of Hormuz. And I think that's what's also really important about this meeting in Doha. This isn't an extension of the talks that have been happening in Geneva and in Switzerland. This is an emergency session, essentially, to iron out the escalation that we saw here over the weekend. And also to deal with the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is extremely volatile and very few ships are still getting through.
OK, so that's interesting to hear, because I think when we see the price of oil falling below $73 a barrel, we assume that the Strait of Hormuz must be working well. But you're saying it's not.
I think there were two dozen crossings in the last 24 hours. And what we're seeing at the moment is it really fluctuates. So there is, you know, it's actually hard to get a genuine picture of what is accurate right now. But the most authoritative figure, IMF Portwatch, recorded just five transits. on the 21st of June. So what we're seeing is it's bouncing between near zero on some days and then double digits on other days. But, you know, there is still so much, so many contentious details when it comes to how the Strait of Hormuz is actually functioning right now, because in the Memorandum of Understanding, some of the language is quite ambiguous, but it essentially gives the Iranians power to ensure the safe passage of
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:50
2
What recent developments are happening in US-Iran talks?
0:50–1:42
3
Why is there confusion about the planned meetings in Doha?
1:42–6:02
4
What roles do key figures like Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff play in the negotiations?
6:02–7:39
5
How are both sides framing their positions regarding the talks?
7:39–10:44