Iran and US to hold indirect talks with Qatari mediators in Doha
via Egypt Today2 min read
Senior officials from Iran and the United States are scheduled to meet with Qatari mediators in Doha on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, to discuss an interim deal aimed at ending the US-Iran war. Iran's delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, will hold its initial meeting with the mediators. However, direct talks between the US and Iran are not expected. US President Donald Trump had previously stated that Iran requested new talks in Qatar. Qatar's foreign ministry confirmed that US envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner are in Doha to meet Qatari officials and mediators, not for direct negotiations with Iranian representatives. These mediation efforts follow a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington to halt their conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on February 28. The war escalated regionally after Tehran launched retaliatory strikes and closed the Strait of Hormuz. Key discussion points are expected to include Iran鈥檚 control over the strait and the release of Iranian funds frozen due to US sanctions.
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Four individuals, including Major General Mohamed El-Sherbiny, director of the General Administration of Civil Protection in Cairo, and two other civil protection personnel, died while battling a fire in Cairo's Manshiyet Nasser district on Wednesday. The blaze, which started in a timber workshop, quickly spread through a four-story building, leading to its collapse. The other victims were police Captain Abdel Rahman El-Adawy of the civil protection administration, police sergeant Hamad Sabra, and Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud, an employee of the Ministry of Electricity. Approximately 15 people were injured and hospitalized. Civil defense teams brought the fire under control, and authorities have provided temporary housing for seven displaced families. Investigations into the fire's cause are ongoing. Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber praised the director and other victims for their dedication and sacrifice.
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