WASHINGTON/DUBAI/TEHRAN - The United States and Iran on Monday separately announced they will send delegations to Qatar this week, though Tehran insisted it has not agreed to meet with the U.S. “at any level” after attacks across the Persian Gulf over the weekend challenged negotiations to end the war. US President Donald Trump said the US will meet with Iran in Doha on Tuesday (today). “IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!” he posted on Truth Social early Monday. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s chief negotiator, had previously told reporters that no technical working group meetings have been scheduled for this week. A senior US official, meanwhile, told CNN yesterday that technical talks regarding the memorandum of understanding were “on track” as planned despite a recent exchange of fire. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News shortly after the president’s post to say there will be high-level talks with technical talks on the sidelines. “Well, I just spoke with the president about it. Iran has requested a meeting this week, so Special Envoy (Steve) Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be flying to Doha for high-level meetings this week as we continue to discuss the memorandum of understanding,” she said. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that Tehran had no meetings with the US in the coming days. The delegation charged with negotiating with the US, sayid Baghaei, will visit Doha but will instead focus on “implementing the provisions of the Islamabad MoU”, reported Iran’s semi-official IRNA news agency. The ministry added that the visit of the American representatives to Qatar had no connection to the visit of the Iranian delegation. Marine traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has modestly picked up in the last 36 hours, according to ship tracking data. Several larger tankers were outbound through the Strait on Monday, according to their automatic identification system (AIS) transponders, which showed them on a southern route close to the Omani coast. Among them was a partially loaded chemical and oil tanker, the Vaughan, showing its destination as the UAE port of Fujairah outside the Gulf. A laden crude tanker, the Das, was on a similar route leaving the Gulf, as was the Greek-operated Nissos Heraclea, which left the Iraqi port of Basra three days ago. Three container ships have entered the Gulf over the past three days – the first with commercial links to major carriers to do so since the start of the conflict, according to marine intelligence firm Kpler. However, it’s difficult to gauge total traffic as many ships are sailing without transponders active. Tehran insists that ships must have its permission to travel through the Strait on designated routes. But a growing number of vessels are using a route close to the Omani coast, threatening Iran’s leverage over the waterway. Some ships are still using a route designated by Iran, including a bulk carrier – the Star Kamila – entering the Gulf on Monday. According to a report on Iranian state television Monday, the Iranian Navy has again warned vessels to only pass south of Larak Island, just off the Iranian coast. Stocks mostly rose while oil prices climbed today after the United States and Iran exchanged fire over the weekend, underscoring the fragility of their tentative agreement to end the war. While Washington said it agreed with Iran to halt the attacks and continue talks, the strikes again disrupted shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. Oil prices, which last week fell to pre-war levels, rose modestly. “The impact on oil prices remains relatively contained,” says Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote. “News that some key markets have even turned oversupplied thanks to the release of strategic reserves and oil tankers quietly making their way out of Hormuz has certainly helped investors react more moderately to the latest escalation,” she adds. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that half of Iran’s frozen assets held in Qatar will be returned to Tehran. Pezeshkian was quoted by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency as making the announcement during meetings with senior Iranian clerics in the city of Qom. “Based on the plans made, $6 billion out of the total $12 billion of Iran’s resources in Qatar will be returned to the country, and the necessary follow-ups are also underway for the return of the remaining part of these resources,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying. US officials have said that no frozen Iranian assets have yet been released. A US official said Monday in a statement: “Iranian assets that are released would be used to purchase American agricultural products to feed the Iranian people. Any release of funds for humanitarian purchases will be tied to performance and Iran’s implementation of the MOU.” The memorandum of understanding agreed between the US and Iran earlier this month stipulated that Washington “undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran upon the implementation” of the agreement. Iran has long insisted in the talks that the return of assets frozen in overseas banks must be part of the process following the signing of the memorandum. First direct commercial flight between UAE and Iran lands since war began A commercial plane flew from Iran to the United Arab Emirates on Monday in the first direct flight between the two countries since the war erupted four months ago. The Sepehran Airlines plane landed at Dubai International Airport at 1:39 p.m., according to the airport’s website. Another flight from Dubai to Tehran is scheduled for later today. The UAE bore the brunt of Tehran’s attacks during the US-Israeli war. Iran responded by firing nearly 2,000 missiles and drones at the UAE, targeting military, energy and civilian sites. Relations between Iran and the UAE – a close US ally that has strong ties with Israel – remained turbulent even after Washington and Tehran reached a ceasefire in April. One of Iran’s biggest trading partners before the war, the UAE adopted a more hawkish stance on Iran after coming under attack, downgrading economic and cultural ties, among other measures. Last week, however, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a call with his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the first known conversation between the two since the war began.
Heat wave disrupts transport, healthcare in Germany, exposes infrastructure gaps
WASHINGTON/DUBAI/TEHRAN - The United States and Iran on Monday separately announced they will send delegations to Qatar this week, though Tehran insisted it has not agreed to meet with the U.S. “at any level” after attacks across the Persian Gulf over the weekend challenged negotiations to end the war. US President Donald Trump said the US will meet with Iran in Doha on Tuesday (today). “IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!” he posted on Truth Social early Monday. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s chief negotiator, had previously told reporters that no technical working group meetings have been scheduled for this week. A senior US official, meanwhile, told CNN yesterday that technical talks regarding the memorandum of understanding were “on track” as planned despite a recent exchange of fire. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News shortly after the president’s post to say there will be high-level talks with technical talks on the sidelines. “Well, I just spoke with the president about it. Iran has requested a meeting this week, so Special Envoy (Steve) Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be flying to Doha for high-level meetings this week as we continue to discuss the memorandum of understanding,” she said. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that Tehran had no meetings with the US in the coming days. The delegation charged with negotiating with the US, sayid Baghaei, will visit Doha but will instead focus on “implementing the provisions of the Islamabad MoU”, reported Iran’s semi-official IRNA news agency. The ministry added that the visit of the American representatives to Qatar had no connection to the visit of the Iranian delegation. Marine traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has modestly picked up in the last 36 hours, according to ship tracking data. Several larger tankers were outbound through the Strait on Monday, according to their automatic identification system (AIS) transponders, which showed them on a southern route close to the Omani coast. Among them was a partially loaded chemical and oil tanker, the Vaughan, showing its destination as the UAE port of Fujairah outside the Gulf. A laden crude tanker, the Das, was on a similar route leaving the Gulf, as was the Greek-operated Nissos Heraclea, which left the Iraqi port of Basra three days ago. Three container ships have entered the Gulf over the past three days – the first with commercial links to major carriers to do so since the start of the conflict, according to marine intelligence firm Kpler. However, it’s difficult to gauge total traffic as many ships are sailing without transponders active. Tehran insists that ships must have its permission to travel through the Strait on designated routes. But a growing number of vessels are using a route close to the Omani coast, threatening Iran’s leverage over the waterway. Some ships are still using a route designated by Iran, including a bulk carrier – the Star Kamila – entering the Gulf on Monday. According to a report on Iranian state television Monday, the Iranian Navy has again warned vessels to only pass south of Larak Island, just off the Iranian coast. Stocks mostly rose while oil prices climbed today after the United States and Iran exchanged fire over the weekend, underscoring the fragility of their tentative agreement to end the war. While Washington said it agreed with Iran to halt the attacks and continue talks, the strikes again disrupted shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. Oil prices, which last week fell to pre-war levels, rose modestly. “The impact on oil prices remains relatively contained,” says Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote. “News that some key markets have even turned oversupplied thanks to the release of strategic reserves and oil tankers quietly making their way out of Hormuz has certainly helped investors react more moderately to the latest escalation,” she adds. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that half of Iran’s frozen assets held in Qatar will be returned to Tehran. Pezeshkian was quoted by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency as making the announcement during meetings with senior Iranian clerics in the city of Qom. “Based on the plans made, $6 billion out of the total $12 billion of Iran’s resources in Qatar will be returned to the country, and the necessary follow-ups are also underway for the return of the remaining part of these resources,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying. US officials have said that no frozen Iranian assets have yet been released. A US official said Monday in a statement: “Iranian assets that are released would be used to purchase American agricultural products to feed the Iranian people. Any release of funds for humanitarian purchases will be tied to performance and Iran’s implementation of the MOU.” The memorandum of understanding agreed between the US and Iran earlier this month stipulated that Washington “undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran upon the implementation” of the agreement. Iran has long insisted in the talks that the return of assets frozen in overseas banks must be part of the process following the signing of the memorandum. First direct commercial flight between UAE and Iran lands since war began A commercial plane flew from Iran to the United Arab Emirates on Monday in the first direct flight between the two countries since the war erupted four months ago. The Sepehran Airlines plane landed at Dubai International Airport at 1:39 p.m., according to the airport’s website. Another flight from Dubai to Tehran is scheduled for later today. The UAE bore the brunt of Tehran’s attacks during the US-Israeli war. Iran responded by firing nearly 2,000 missiles and drones at the UAE, targeting military, energy and civilian sites. Relations between Iran and the UAE – a close US ally that has strong ties with Israel – remained turbulent even after Washington and Tehran reached a ceasefire in April. One of Iran’s biggest trading partners before the war, the UAE adopted a more hawkish stance on Iran after coming under attack, downgrading economic and cultural ties, among other measures. Last week, however, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a call with his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the first known conversation between the two since the war began.
Heat wave disrupts transport, healthcare in Germany, exposes infrastructure gaps
WASHINGTON/DUBAI/TEHRAN - The United States and Iran on Monday separately announced they will send delegations to Qatar this week, though Tehran insisted it has not agreed to meet with the U.S. “at any level” after attacks across the Persian Gulf over the weekend challenged negotiations to end the war. US President Donald Trump said the US will meet with Iran in Doha on Tuesday (today). “IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!” he posted on Truth Social early Monday. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s chief negotiator, had previously told reporters that no technical working group meetings have been scheduled for this week. A senior US official, meanwhile, told CNN yesterday that technical talks regarding the memorandum of understanding were “on track” as planned despite a recent exchange of fire. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News shortly after the president’s post to say there will be high-level talks with technical talks on the sidelines. “Well, I just spoke with the president about it. Iran has requested a meeting this week, so Special Envoy (Steve) Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be flying to Doha for high-level meetings this week as we continue to discuss the memorandum of understanding,” she said. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that Tehran had no meetings with the US in the coming days. The delegation charged with negotiating with the US, sayid Baghaei, will visit Doha but will instead focus on “implementing the provisions of the Islamabad MoU”, reported Iran’s semi-official IRNA news agency. The ministry added that the visit of the American representatives to Qatar had no connection to the visit of the Iranian delegation. Marine traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has modestly picked up in the last 36 hours, according to ship tracking data. Several larger tankers were outbound through the Strait on Monday, according to their automatic identification system (AIS) transponders, which showed them on a southern route close to the Omani coast. Among them was a partially loaded chemical and oil tanker, the Vaughan, showing its destination as the UAE port of Fujairah outside the Gulf. A laden crude tanker, the Das, was on a similar route leaving the Gulf, as was the Greek-operated Nissos Heraclea, which left the Iraqi port of Basra three days ago. Three container ships have entered the Gulf over the past three days – the first with commercial links to major carriers to do so since the start of the conflict, according to marine intelligence firm Kpler. However, it’s difficult to gauge total traffic as many ships are sailing without transponders active. Tehran insists that ships must have its permission to travel through the Strait on designated routes. But a growing number of vessels are using a route close to the Omani coast, threatening Iran’s leverage over the waterway. Some ships are still using a route designated by Iran, including a bulk carrier – the Star Kamila – entering the Gulf on Monday. According to a report on Iranian state television Monday, the Iranian Navy has again warned vessels to only pass south of Larak Island, just off the Iranian coast. Stocks mostly rose while oil prices climbed today after the United States and Iran exchanged fire over the weekend, underscoring the fragility of their tentative agreement to end the war. While Washington said it agreed with Iran to halt the attacks and continue talks, the strikes again disrupted shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. Oil prices, which last week fell to pre-war levels, rose modestly. “The impact on oil prices remains relatively contained,” says Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote. “News that some key markets have even turned oversupplied thanks to the release of strategic reserves and oil tankers quietly making their way out of Hormuz has certainly helped investors react more moderately to the latest escalation,” she adds. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that half of Iran’s frozen assets held in Qatar will be returned to Tehran. Pezeshkian was quoted by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency as making the announcement during meetings with senior Iranian clerics in the city of Qom. “Based on the plans made, $6 billion out of the total $12 billion of Iran’s resources in Qatar will be returned to the country, and the necessary follow-ups are also underway for the return of the remaining part of these resources,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying. US officials have said that no frozen Iranian assets have yet been released. A US official said Monday in a statement: “Iranian assets that are released would be used to purchase American agricultural products to feed the Iranian people. Any release of funds for humanitarian purchases will be tied to performance and Iran’s implementation of the MOU.” The memorandum of understanding agreed between the US and Iran earlier this month stipulated that Washington “undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran upon the implementation” of the agreement. Iran has long insisted in the talks that the return of assets frozen in overseas banks must be part of the process following the signing of the memorandum. First direct commercial flight between UAE and Iran lands since war began A commercial plane flew from Iran to the United Arab Emirates on Monday in the first direct flight between the two countries since the war erupted four months ago. The Sepehran Airlines plane landed at Dubai International Airport at 1:39 p.m., according to the airport’s website. Another flight from Dubai to Tehran is scheduled for later today. The UAE bore the brunt of Tehran’s attacks during the US-Israeli war. Iran responded by firing nearly 2,000 missiles and drones at the UAE, targeting military, energy and civilian sites. Relations between Iran and the UAE – a close US ally that has strong ties with Israel – remained turbulent even after Washington and Tehran reached a ceasefire in April. One of Iran’s biggest trading partners before the war, the UAE adopted a more hawkish stance on Iran after coming under attack, downgrading economic and cultural ties, among other measures. Last week, however, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a call with his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the first known conversation between the two since the war began.
Heat wave disrupts transport, healthcare in Germany, exposes infrastructure gaps