US and Iran halt hostilities, plan Qatar talks on Tuesday after Strait flare-up
After a weekend exchange of fire threatened the fragile 11-day ceasefire, the US and Iran agreed to pause kinetic activity and will meet in Qatar on 30 June to resolve the dispute over the strategic waterway.
A fragile ceasefire tested
The US-Iran memorandum of understanding, signed on 17 June in Islamabad, committed Iran to ensure safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and the US to lift its blockade of Iranian ports in the Gulf. But only 11 days later, the ceasefire came under intense strain over the weekend as the two sides exchanged fire near the strait and accused each other of violating the terms.
I was considering resuming the war to finish the job, and Iran would cease to exist.
The weekend flare-up
The latest escalation, reported on 28 June, was triggered by conflicting interpretations of the memorandum, particularly over control of the strait. The violence prompted US President Donald Trump to threaten further military action and warn that Iran "would cease to exist" if he ordered a resumption of hostilities.
Halt and Doha meeting
On 29 June a senior US official told Axios that the two sides had decided to stop all kinetic activity "for now" and that commercial ships could move freely again. A second US official confirmed the de-escalation, and three sources said US and Iranian delegations would meet in Doha, Qatar on 30 June to resolve the strait dispute. Nick Stewart, head of the US technical team, is expected to attend.
We decided to stop all kinetic activity.
The hotline and prior talks
During negotiations in Switzerland last week, US Vice President J.D. Vance agreed with Iran to establish a hotline between the US military and the Revolutionary Guards to coordinate traffic in the Strait. As of Saturday, however, the line was not yet operational. The Switzerland talks, originally focused on Iran's nuclear programme, were moved and refocused on the Strait of Hormuz after the escalation.
The road ahead
A senior US government official said the technical talks on implementing the memorandum remained "on track" and that nothing had been cancelled. The de‑escalation channels activated after the Lake Lucerne summit remain open, but both sides have warned that renewed violations could end diplomacy entirely.
- US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in Islamabad, outlining terms for reopening the Strait.
- Exchange of fire near the Strait of Hormuz as both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.
- US and Iran agree to halt kinetic activity 'for now' and allow commercial ships to move freely.
- US and Iranian delegations meet in Doha, Qatar to resolve the dispute and continue technical talks.
