President Trump is dispatching two of his closest advisers to Qatar this week as his administration seeks to keep a fragile ceasefire with Iran intact and revive negotiations after days of renewed military tensions.
White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are traveling to Doha for high-level talks following Iran’s reported request for another round of discussions, according to the White House.
“I just spoke with the president about it. Iran has requested a meeting this week, so special envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be flying to Doha for high-level meetings this week as we continue to discuss the memorandum of understanding,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday during an appearance on Fox News’ Fox & Friends.
Leavitt said technical negotiations would also continue alongside the diplomatic meetings.
“As far as we’re concerned, we’re holding up our end of the ceasefire,” she said. “Violence will be met with violence.”
President Trump confirmed the planned talks in a Truth Social post Monday morning.
“IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!” Trump wrote.
The trip comes after U.S. and Iranian officials agreed to temporarily halt military strikes following a dangerous escalation over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping lanes. A senior U.S. official told multiple outlets that both sides agreed to “stand down for now” while negotiations continue, allowing commercial vessels to resume moving freely through the strategic waterway.
According to Axios, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to meet with Qatar’s prime minister and other senior officials in Doha before technical teams continue work on the memorandum of understanding that has formed the basis of the ongoing negotiations.
The diplomatic push follows several days of heightened tensions. Last week, Iran asserted greater control over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that ships should coordinate with Tehran before transiting the waterway. The move came after Trump accused Iran of attacking a commercial vessel near the coast of Oman with a one-way drone. The United States responded with additional military strikes, prompting fears that the ceasefire could collapse.
The conflict, now more than four months old, has rattled global energy markets, driven up gasoline prices, and tested U.S. relationships with key allies as fighting repeatedly threatened shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil supplies.
While the White House says Iran requested the latest meeting, Tehran has publicly disputed that characterization. Iranian officials acknowledged their delegation would be in Doha but insisted no direct negotiations with the United States had been formally scheduled, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the next phase of diplomacy.
