Iran says Qatar-mediated U.S. talks restated existing demands

Iran and the United States held indirect discussions mediated by Qatar on Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, but Iran said the exchange reiterated its existing conditions rather than signaling a change in its negotiating position. The talks lasted about three hours, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, who described them positively; neither side provided details confirming an agreement or progress. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Wednesday that the discussions conveyed Tehran’s demands to U.S. officials through Qatari intermediaries. He said those conditions included ending the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and releasing frozen Iranian assets, and characterized them as nothing new. Iran’s account also listed ending the war on all fronts, the economic war and what it called U.S. aggressive practices among its demands. Trump said the meeting was very good, while U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said the delegations communicated through mediators who moved between them. Witkoff expressed hope that the effort would be constructive. The U.S.