Day 123 | Trump says Iran meeting to take place in Qatar

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Read more: Day 124 | US envoys Witkoff, Kushner meeting mediators in Doha

• Qatari PM met in Doha with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
• The talks focused on US-Iran negotiations, regional security, and the Lebanon ceasefire.
• US officials thanked Qatar and Pakistan for their role in supporting the technical negotiation process.

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, hosted senior US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Doha on Tuesday to evaluate the ongoing diplomatic track between Washington and Tehran.

According to an official statement from the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the high-level meeting focused on reviewing the latest milestones regarding the US–Iran technical talks, stabilizing the volatile regional landscape, and monitoring the ceasefire in Lebanon.

Commitment to stability

During the meeting, Sheikh Mohammed re-emphasized Qatar’s unwavering commitment to its role as an international mediator.

He underscored that Doha will continue its persistent diplomatic push alongside its partners to bridge outstanding gaps, aiming to achieve a comprehensive solution that permanently reinforces security and stability across the Middle East.

The talks take place amid a critical 60-day window established by the June 17 preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the US and Iran.

The framework requires indirect oversight by regional neutrals to keep the interim cessation of hostilities intact.

Washington commends Qatari–Pakistani partnership

The Qatari Foreign Ministry reported that Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special Middle East envoy, and Kushner expressed deep appreciation on behalf of the United States for Qatar's critical diplomatic baseline.

The US envoys specifically highlighted Washington's gratitude for the joint partnership between Qatar and Pakistan in systematically facilitating and managing the indirect negotiation pipeline.

Concluding the session, Witkoff and Kushner reaffirmed that the United States remains firmly committed to the established negotiating path, emphasizing Washington's continued support for all ongoing diplomatic efforts intended to culminate in a final, legally binding comprehensive agreement.

• Iranian Speaker said Iran is monitoring implementation of the US-Iran memorandum with Qatari and Pakistani mediation.
• He revealed plans for a joint US-Iran-Lebanon committee to oversee the war's end and Lebanese sovereignty.
• Ghalibaf said Iran will not enter final negotiations until key clauses of the preliminary agreement are implemented by the United States.

Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that Tehran will not enter final negotiations with Washington until the United States fully implements five key provisions of the newly signed bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU).

The declarations underscore the delicate state of the interim truce, known as the Islamabad MoU, signed between the two nations earlier this month to freeze regional conflict and lift maritime trade blockades.

Monitor Lebanon ceasefire

A central focus of Ghalibaf's statements was the cessation of hostilities in the Levant.

Under the broader terms of the bilateral MoU, the United States carries an explicit commitment to halt military operations affecting Lebanon and guarantee the state's sovereign independence.

To ensure strict compliance with these regional arrangements, Ghalibaf revealed that a specialized joint monitoring committee -comprising representatives from the United States, Iran, and Lebanon- will be formally established.

"A joint committee between America, Iran, and Lebanon will be formed to monitor the end of the war in Lebanon, and we are pursuing this matter with total seriousness," Ghalibaf stated.

Pre-negotiation ultimatums 

The Speaker drew a firm line regarding the transition from the temporary 60-day interim agreement to a permanent legal treaty.

Ghalibaf declared that Iran will refuse to begin any final text negotiations unless Washington executes its immediate obligations under Clauses 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 of the agreement, which primarily govern the cessation of hostilities, dismantling of naval blockade mechanisms, and the rollout of initial economic sanction waivers.

Concurrently, Tehran is leaning on international channels to unlock its restricted foreign capital.

Ghalibaf confirmed that Iranian authorities, working in active coordination with Pakistani and Qatari mediators, are monitoring the ground-level execution of Clause 13 of the memorandum.

This specific provision addresses the systematic release of restricted Iranian financial assets held in international banks, a logistical process scheduled to be discussed by negotiators in Doha.

An American citizen has been arrested by 'Israeli' authorities on suspicion of conducting espionage operations on behalf of Iranian intelligence, 'Israel’s' police and internal security agency (Shin Bet) announced on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old suspect was originally apprehended on June 9, under a strict judicial gag order that has now been partially lifted.

According to police statements, the individual faces charges related to severe security offenses that directly endangered the security of 'Israel' and its citizens.

Paid photographic missions

According to investigators, the suspect maintained continuous communication with Iranian intelligence handlers over the course of several months prior to the arrest.

During this period, the individual was tasked with tracking, photographing, and documenting various sensitive sites across 'Israel'.

In exchange for completing these reconnaissance tasks, the suspect allegedly received low-level payments ranging from tens to hundreds of dollars per assignment.

While 'Israel' Police Chief Inspector Amichai Fanta confirmed that a formal indictment is expected to be filed in the coming days, authorities have declined to comment on whether the American national was in the country as a tourist or a resident.

“We will continue to detect and expose offenses of this kind, arrest those responsible, and bring to justice anyone who endangers the security of the state and its citizens,” Chief Inspector Fanta said in an official statement.

Unprecedented wave of recruitment

The case highlights an ongoing and highly aggressive intelligence campaign.

Since 2023, 'Israel' has been grappling with an unprecedented surge in domestic espionage networks orchestrated by Tehran.

While at least 60 'Israeli' nationals have been indicted for treason and espionage over the last three years, prosecutors note that this is the first time an American citizen has been swept up in the arrests.

'Israeli' intelligence officials have warned that the low-level visual information gathered by these low-cost recruits carries significant operational danger.

Several of the sensitive locations and infrastructural coordinates previously filmed by alleged domestic recruits have subsequently been targeted in heavy Iranian ballistic missile strikes over the past year.

The member states of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) issued joint designations on Tuesday targeting multiple components of Hezbollah’s financial infrastructure, including five entities and 16 individuals.

The coordinated sanctions target major financial institutions used by the group, including Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH) and Bayt al-Mal, along with their senior executive leadership.

According to the announcement, all of the targets identified by the TFTC had been previously designated under unilateral United States sanctions.

Primary institutional targets

The joint action heavily focuses on two primary financial bodies operating within Lebanon:

• Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH): Operating under a Ministry of Interior-granted NGO license, the organization provides bank-like financial services. The TFTC states that AQAH illicitly moves funds through shell accounts and senior employees' personal accounts to facilitate militant activities. Following the destruction of Bayt al-Mal offices in 2006, Hezbollah shifted the bulk of its financial transactions to AQAH.
• Bayt al-Mal: Functioning as Hezbollah's unofficial treasury under the direct supervision of the group's Secretary General, this institution acts as a bank, creditor, and investment arm, operating out of Beirut's southern suburbs.

Key individuals 

The sanctions list names senior financial officers who have managed shadow accounts and circumvented the formal banking system to transfer more than $500 million over the past decade through institutions like the US-designated Jammal Trust Bank (JTB).

Other individuals designated in the action include AQAH officials Abbas Hassan Gharib, Mustafa Habib Harb, Ezzat Youssef Akar, Hasan Chehadeh Othman, Wahid Subayti, and Mohammed Suleiman Badir, who held personal accounts used to mask institutional fund transfers.

Senior officials Nehmeh Ahmad Jamil, Issa Hussein Kassir, Ali Ahmed Krisht, Naser Hassan Neser, and Imad Mohamed Bezz were also included for their roles in auditing, gold trading, and logistics procurement.

The action additionally targets three corporate entities used to support these networks:

1. Al-Khobara for Accounting, Auditing, and Studies: Managed by senior AQAH officials and located within the AQAH building.
2. Tashilat SARL: A company used to provide loans on behalf of Hezbollah.
3. The Auditors for Accounting and Auditing: A firm majority-owned by Ibrahim Daher that provides financial services to Hezbollah’s Central Finance Unit.

This joint action marks the third TFTC designation initiative under the current US administration and the ninth since the center's establishment in May 2017.

• Netanyahu claimed Hezbollah's rocket arsenal has fallen to about 8% of its pre-war level.
• He said 'Israel' will not withdraw until the threat is fully eliminated.

'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted an operational visit to southern Lebanon, declaring that the 'Israeli' military will maintain its ground presence in Lebanon indefinitely to counter ongoing threats from Hezbollah.

During his address from the area, Netanyahu tied the duration of the military deployment directly to the security situation on the ground.

"We will remain in southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah is present here and threatening us," Netanyahu stated, reinforcing that 'Israel' is committed to avoiding any troop withdrawal until the security risk to 'Israeli' territory is completely removed.

Claims of massive degradation to Hezbollah's arsenal

As part of his assessment of the ongoing military campaign, Netanyahu provided specific figures regarding the degradation of Hezbollah's strategic capabilities.

According to Netanyahu, the group has lost the vast majority of its firepower since the outbreak of hostilities.

He noted that Hezbollah now possesses only 8% of the rockets and missiles it held prior to the war, an arsenal that 'Israeli' intelligence had previously estimated at approximately 150,000 projectiles.

Netanyahu concluded his remarks by reiterating 'Israel's' operational stance, emphasizing that forces will not pull back from their positions in southern Lebanon until the cross-border threat is fully neutralized.

Mediator Qatar says that no high-level meetings or direct talks between the United States and Iran were planned in Doha after Washington said it had sent a top delegation for negotiations, adding that US envoys were meeting with Qatari mediators. 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on Tuesday that Iranian officials will engage in discussions with Qatari authorities.

The high-level meetings will focus on the practical implementation of specific provisions within an established memorandum of understanding, primarily addressing the release of restricted Iranian financial assets currently held abroad.

Hamas said a delegation led by the group's leader in the occupied West Bank, Zaher Jabarin, arrived in Cairo on Tuesday to hold talks with Egyptian officials and mediators on implementing the ceasefire agreement.

Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said the delegation's top priority is to halt what the group described as escalating 'Israeli' violations in the Gaza Strip, including daily killings and assassinations, and to ensure the entry of humanitarian and reconstruction supplies.

Al-Nunu said the delegation will also press for the delivery of materials needed to rebuild hospitals, bakeries, and critical infrastructure across Gaza.

According to Hamas, the discussions will also cover the implementation of the remaining provisions of the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said the United States must honor its commitments to help end the war, particularly in Lebanon, in line with the first paragraph of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters that Washington should adhere to its commitments and, "if necessary, force the Zionist regime to implement its commitments."

Baghaei said Iran would measure the United States' compliance based on the text of the Memorandum of Understanding, reiterating Tehran's position on the conflict in Lebanon.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said there is no need for foreign involvement in clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that any outside intervention would only complicate the situation.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that any intervention "will not be done with good intentions and will only lead to more complicated situations."

Baghaei said mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz is already covered under the existing Memorandum of Understanding, adding that there is no need for other countries to intervene in the region on the issue.

The 'Israeli' military said it killed Talal Jaber Mohammad Abd al-Aal, whom it identified as a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, during an operation in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday.

In a statement, the 'Israeli' military alleged that Abd al-Aal commanded a cell that infiltrated 'Israel' during the October 2023 events and participated in holding captives throughout the war. 

Separately, Gaza's Health Ministry said eight people were martyred in 'Israeli' attacks across the enclave during the latest 24-hour reporting period.

The ceasefire agreement between Tehran and Washington stipulates that Iran will make “arrangements using its best efforts” to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies travel.

The strait had been effectively closed by Iran since the US and Israel launched their joint attacks on the country in late February. Ensuring unobstructed transit through the waterway was Iran’s main concession to the US in ceasefire negotiations.

Three distinct routes for ships have now emerged in the narrow maritime corridor, with different authorities vying to organize the transit of dozens of vessels through the 21-mile-wide waterway.

One southern route goes through the waters off Oman; a second route, which was used before the war, passes through the middle of the strait; and a third route further north is controlled by Iran. This leaves vessel operators with a difficult choice over which path to take.

On Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that “any intervention or attempt to create parallel arrangements will only complicate the situation, increase tensions and delay the reopening of this vital waterway.”
Araghchi did not specify the “parallel arrangements” but a growing number of ships have sought to evade Iranian control of the passage by taking a southern route close to the Omani coast.

“All this is very confusing for safely navigating those waters,” Dimitris Maniatis, CEO of maritime risk consultancy Marisks told CNN, adding that “the current environment is extremely dangerous.”

US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law ‌Jared Kushner will be in Doha to meet Qatari mediators, but there will not be a high-level meeting between Washington and Tehran, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari

The two US officials have arrived in Doha, Reuters reported, citing al-Ansari.

The Qatari official added that the $6 billion in Iranian frozen funds have not been transferred to Tehran, and that Doha is coordinating with Oman on safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that the direct line in the waterway for de-conflication has been used in recent days to contain hostilities, Reuters reported.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it dismantled an armed group that had infiltrated the country through the northwestern border and was allegedly planning to carry out sabotage operations.

In a statement, the Revolutionary Guard said four members of what it described as a separatist "terrorist cell" were killed during armed clashes with its forces in the mountainous areas of West Azerbaijan province.

The Guard said the group had intended to conduct acts of sabotage after entering Iranian territory.

It also warned what it called terrorist and separatist groups that any attempts to threaten security in the region would be met with a "firm and decisive" response from Iranian forces.

Forty ships transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler, a number still significantly lower than the average daily crossings before the war with Iran started in February.

Sixteen of the 40 vessels transited via the Iranian route through the strait, according to Kpler data shared with CNN. Another 12 had gone dark or transited via an “unknown” route, it added.

Before 'Israel' and the US launched strikes on Iran in late February, more than 100 ships per day transited the strait daily on average.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran will not back down from its rights, national interests, or principles in negotiations with the United States under any circumstances.

Pezeshkian criticized what he described as efforts by some political groups to undermine Iran's negotiating team, saying such criticism coincided with campaigns by "hostile media."

He said all stages of the negotiations were conducted in full coordination with Iran's Supreme Leader and within the country's legal framework. According to Pezeshkian, the final agreement was also reviewed by the relevant technical and security bodies and received the backing of members of the Supreme National Security Council.

Pezeshkian said Iran's negotiating team sought to safeguard the rights of the Iranian people and the country's national interests, stressing that Tehran would not yield to demands imposed by its adversaries.

He described the latest agreement as "another diplomatic achievement" for the Iranian people.

Oman's Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi said the sultanate does not support imposing mandatory transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, while leaving the door open to voluntary charges for specific maritime services.

Speaking to French radio station Monte Carlo Doualiya, Albusaidi said fees for maritime, environmental, and navigational services "can be discussed voluntarily with the beneficiary countries and companies."

He said such services could include improving navigational safety, protecting waters from pollution, and strengthening preparedness to respond to accidents or emergencies.

Albusaidi added that Oman could draw on existing models, including the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, where service-related arrangements are already in place. His remarks come amid renewed discussions over navigation and maritime security in one of the world's busiest energy shipping routes.

Tasnim News Agency, citing a statement from the public relations office of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said that two members were killed and two others wounded in what it described as "terrorist and cowardly" attack in the city of Paveh in Western Iran. 

The attack occurred on the evening of Monday, when assailants opened fire at the entrance of a residence, according to Iranian media.

No further details were reported.