The United States and Iran have agreed to halt counter-strikes and resume talks in Qatar’s capital, Doha, tomorrow. The move is aimed at resolving their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz after days of military escalation threatened to derail the fragile ceasefire. The announcement came after multiple rounds of strikes around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US carried out strikes on Iranian military targets after accusing Tehran of violating the ceasefire by attacking commercial vessels. Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait, while both sides exchanged fresh warnings over further escalation. A second US official said both sides would stand down for now and that vessels can move freely while discussions continue.
The renewed fighting stemmed from differing interpretations of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed earlier this month to end the conflict, particularly Article 5 dealing with navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Under the agreement, Iran committed to making its best efforts to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the strategic waterway, while the United States agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports.
During negotiations in Switzerland, the US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, also agreed to establish a direct hotline between the US military and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to coordinate shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. However, US officials said the communication channel is still not operational as Iran renewed its insistence that ships must coordinate their passage with Tehran.
The technical talks were originally scheduled to take place in Switzerland and focus on Iran’s nuclear programme. However, the recent escalation shifted both the venue to Doha and the agenda to resolving the Strait of Hormuz dispute.