US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are in Doha but will not hold direct meetings with Iranian officials, according to a spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, the spokesperson said the two US officials will instead meet with mediators to discuss the progress of ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The development indicates that the latest round of diplomacy will continue through indirect channels, with Qatar playing a mediating role rather than facilitating face-to-face talks between the two sides.
The spokesperson also said that the $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets has not yet been transferred to Tehran.
The funds, which have been at the centre of discussions between the United States and Iran, remain unreleased despite the continuing diplomatic efforts.
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On the other hand, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei in a presser on Tuesday said that the release of the frozenh assets is underway.
Qatar has emerged as one of the key intermediaries in recent negotiations between Washington and Tehran, helping facilitate communication on issues including detainee exchanges, sanctions and financial arrangements.
While the presence of the US envoys in Doha signals that diplomatic engagement is continuing, the absence of direct meetings with Iranian officials underscores that negotiations remain indirect, with mediators relaying messages between the two sides.
No further details were provided on the agenda of the meetings or whether any breakthrough is expected from the latest round of discussions.
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