Iran will respond to any US violation of the memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war in the Middle East, its Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday, as delegations from both sides were expected in Qatar for indirect talks on the deal.
“We will not leave any action unanswered. As Iran’s powerful armed forces have demonstrated, any act of aggression against the objectives of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be met with an immediate and decisive response,” Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters at a weekly press conference.
“Such actions would constitute a violation of Article 1 of the memorandum of understanding. Naturally, if such violations are repeated and continue, the continuation of this process will encounter difficulties.”
Iran will hold talks with mediator Qatar on Wednesday regarding its frozen assets, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, denying that any meeting with the United States was planned in the Gulf state, where delegations from both sides were expected.
“What is expected to take place in Doha, probably tomorrow, will be discussions regarding the implementation of provisions of the memorandum of understanding, including the provision concerning the release of Iran’s restricted assets, and these discussions will be held with the Qatari side,” Baqaei said.
Meanwhile, US envoys were meeting with Qatari mediators on Tuesday, the Gulf state’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said, after Washington said it was sending a negotiating team.
“Mr. Steve Witkoff and Mr. Jared Kushner are here in Doha to meet with mediators, with Qatari officials, and the talks will be around all regional issues,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said.
Talks with the envoys would include discussions on Iran but also other topics including Lebanon, the spokesman said. “They are not here for their negotiations with the Iranians,” he added. (AFP)
