US President's son-in-law Jared Kushner (L) and US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff stand prior to a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, as part of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict. AFP-Yonhap
DUBAI — Indirect talks in Doha between officials from the United States and Iran aimed at ending the Middle East war have started, a diplomat with knowledge of the talks told AFP on Wednesday.
The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, confirmed negotiations were underway after they earlier said the US and Iran were to hold "indirect technical talks on Wednesday in Doha with Qatari and Pakistani mediators".
The Doha talks are based "on the memorandum of understanding, building on the progress made at the Lake Lucerne Summit," the diplomat said, referring to recent talks in the Swiss resort town and the negotiating framework endorsed by the two sides in June.
US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are not taking part in the technical talks, the diplomat added, after they met with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday.
