President Donald Trump hailed the progress on Wednesday of indirect talks between Iran and the United States, saying there had been “very good meetings” in Doha.

“As far as things are going, the denuclearization of Iran is moving along well. They’ve had very good meetings, and we’ll see,” Trump told reporters as he prepared to board his new Qatar-gifted Air Force One plane for a trip to North Dakota. “We hit them very hard… but we’re getting along very well,” he said of the talks.

Iran and the United States began indirect talks with mediators in Doha in a push to advance negotiations and quell tensions following exchanges of fire between the two sides.

Both had said they would send officials to discuss their memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the Middle East war, but Iran insisted direct negotiations will not take place.

A diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, confirmed negotiations were underway, after earlier saying the foes would take part in “indirect technical talks in Doha with Qatari and Pakistani mediators”.

The discussions, being held at a lower level and focused on the details of the MOU, will “build on the progress made at the Lake Lucerne Summit”, the diplomat said.

The memorandum of understanding, brokered by Qatar and Pakistan, culminated in a summit last month in Lucerne, Switzerland. (AFP)