Mediators from Qatar and Pakistan reported positive progress Wednesday in Doha during indirect technical talks between the United States and Iran aimed at implementing the recent Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

The discussions, which build on the Lake Lucerne Summit, focus on key issues including shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and broader steps toward stability following earlier direct conflict. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Qatari officials to lay groundwork, while Iran continues to engage only through intermediaries.

President Trump has made clear his bottom line: Iran will not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. After delivering strong strikes when necessary, the administration is pursuing a deal from a position of strength — exactly the approach that worked to reshape the region and deter adversaries.

This latest round comes amid ongoing mourning in Iran following the death of its former supreme leader.

The Trump administration’s combination of decisive action and diplomatic engagement stands in sharp contrast to previous policies that empowered Tehran through weakness and cash infusions.

America First means no nuclear Iran, secure shipping lanes, and peace through strength. Progress is welcome when it advances U.S. interests and those of our allies — but the pressure stays on until the regime abandons its destabilizing ambitions.