Agencies | Doha:
The United States and Iran have agreed to suspend military operations against each other and will meet in Qatar on Tuesday to seek a resolution to their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported, citing a senior US official.
The development could mark the first significant diplomatic breakthrough after days of escalating military confrontation between the two countries.
According to the report, both sides have agreed to halt military activity while negotiations proceed in Doha.
“We decided to stop all the kinetic activity,” the senior US official was quoted as saying.
The talks in Qatar’s capital are expected to focus on easing tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, where recent attacks have disrupted global shipping and raised fears of a wider regional conflict.
Separately, Reuters reported that technical discussions will continue under a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached on June 17. Citing a senior official, Reuters said, “Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MOU. Both sides will stand down for now, and vessels can move freely,” referring to the agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic.
Ceasefire Violations
The latest diplomatic initiative follows renewed hostilities after an Iranian projectile struck a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Both Washington and Tehran accused each other of violating the ceasefire.
Iran launched missiles and drones targeting US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain early Sunday, shortly after US President Donald Trump warned that the Islamic Republic would “cease to exist” if it failed to honour the agreement ending the conflict.
The United States also carried out fresh strikes on Iran hours after a tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route that Tehran has largely closed during the conflict.
Before the Axios report was published, Trump warned on social media that Washington could intensify military action.
“There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started,” Trump wrote.
“If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” he added.
Diplomatic Efforts Face Setbacks
The June 17 interim peace accord was intended to halt hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, and create space for negotiations on broader issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme.
One round of mediated talks had already taken place in Switzerland, led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. Washington had also eased certain sanctions on Tehran in support of the diplomatic process.
Despite those efforts, military exchanges resumed and intensified.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its navy and air force had launched missile and drone attacks on US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, alleging that American strikes had breached the ceasefire.
The IRGC warned that the US attacks would result in “the complete halt of all diplomatic processes,” while its naval command said American bases in the region “will experience hell in the coming days.”
A US official confirmed to Reuters that Iranian attacks had targeted American facilities but said there were no reported US casualties or significant damage, although the situation remained fluid.
Regional Fallout
Israel carried out another strike on Iran-backed Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon on Sunday, following a separate strike a day earlier despite its latest ceasefire arrangement with Lebanon.
Iran has maintained that stability in Lebanon is essential for any broader regional agreement to succeed.
Meanwhile, Bahrain said an Iranian attack damaged a residential building in Muharraq province without causing casualties and called on the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session.
The Kuwaiti military said it intercepted two ballistic missiles with no casualties or damage reported.
Qatar also confirmed the death of one of its nationals, who sustained shrapnel injuries aboard a vessel affected by military operations in the region. Another person was reported injured.
