Key facts
- Trump called US-Iran Doha talks 'very good meetings'
- Talks held indirectly, with mediators facilitating
- Iran insists on retaining control over the Strait of Hormuz
- Iran issued simultaneous warnings against Israel
- Khamenei's death adds uncertainty to the diplomatic process
US President Donald Trump has described indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran in Doha as "very good meetings," offering an unusually positive assessment of diplomacy with a country his administration has treated as a primary adversary. The talks, held with mediators facilitating communication between the two sides, mark a significant moment in efforts to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear programme to weapons capability.
The Doha format — indirect talks with mediators — reflects the deep mutual mistrust between Washington and Tehran, which have no formal diplomatic relations. Earlier in the day, a US diplomat had confirmed that the two sides would hold indirect talks with mediators present, and Trump's subsequent comment suggested the initial exchanges had been productive. Iran, for its part, has insisted on keeping control over the Strait of Hormuz and has rejected third-party intervention on the waterway — a red line that complicates any broader deal.
The diplomatic momentum is unfolding against a backdrop of sharp Iranian rhetoric. Iran's foreign ministry issued pointed warnings about Israel, saying Trump's "pets" in Tel Aviv would be "schooled" if not controlled — language that reflects the Revolutionary Guards' influence over foreign policy even as diplomats negotiate. The death of Supreme Leader Khamenei adds a further layer of uncertainty to whether any agreement can be finalised with a coherent Iranian negotiating partner.
For India, a successful deal would ease sanctions on Iranian oil, potentially increasing supply and softening global crude prices. India has historically been one of Iran's largest oil customers and would welcome any diplomatic resolution that reopens energy trade.