The United States and Iran have agreed to pause their recent military conflict in the Gulf. They will also restart talks on the Strait of Hormuz. The move follows days of heavy military exchanges that threatened to break a fragile interim peace agreement.
A US official said both countries will stop military action while technical teams continue discussions on the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on June 17. The agreement aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for global shipping while negotiations continue on other key issues.
According to Axios, which first reported the development by citing a senior US official, negotiators will meet again in Qatar on Tuesday.
Military Clashes Continued Despite Diplomatic Efforts
The new diplomatic effort follows several days of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The latest conflict began after an Iranian projectile hit a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. After the attack, both countries accused each other of violating the June 17 ceasefire.
Early on Sunday, Iran launched missiles and drones at US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. The strikes came shortly after US President Donald Trump warned Iran that it would face severe consequences if it failed to honour the agreement that ended the fighting.
Earlier, the US military launched another round of strikes on Iranian targets. The attacks came hours after a tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest energy shipping routes. The waterway has remained largely closed during the conflict.
Before reports of the pause emerged, Trump issued another warning on social media.
“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 said.
Interim Peace Agreement Comes Under Pressure
The United States and Iran signed the 14-point interim peace agreement on June 17. The deal aimed to end the conflict that began after the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28.
The agreement also sought to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow commercial ships to resume normal operations. At the same time, both sides planned to continue negotiations on unresolved issues, including Iran's nuclear programme.
Last week, both countries held mediated talks in Switzerland. US Vice President JD Vance met Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf to keep diplomatic efforts alive.
Washington also eased sanctions on Tehran during those talks. However, fighting resumed soon after, and tensions escalated once again.
Iran Launches Missile and Drone Attacks on US Bases
About an hour after Trump's statement, Kuwait's military said its air defence systems intercepted incoming missiles and drones.
Bahrain also confirmed that air raid sirens sounded across the country after Iranian threats.
Later, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that its navy and air force had launched coordinated missile and drone attacks on US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iran's state-run Press TV quoted the Guards as saying the latest US strikes had violated the ceasefire and “will result in the complete halt of all diplomatic processes”.
The IRGC navy also warned that American military bases in the region “will experience hell in the coming days”.
US Reports No Casualties
A US official confirmed to Reuters that Iran had targeted American military facilities in the Gulf.
However, the official said the attacks caused no US casualties or major damage. Authorities are still assessing the full situation.
Bahrain and Kuwait Respond
Several hours after the first attacks, Bahrain activated its emergency warning system again.
Officials said an Iranian strike damaged a residential building in Muharraq province. Fortunately, no one was killed or injured.
Bahrain later urged the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency meeting and discuss the attacks.
Meanwhile, Kuwait's military said its air defence systems intercepted two ballistic missiles before they reached their targets.
Officials confirmed that the interceptions caused no casualties or damage.
Talks Keep Peace Hopes Alive
The agreement to pause military operations has created fresh hope for diplomacy. However, the situation remains fragile.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most important waterways for global energy supplies. Any fresh conflict could disrupt international trade and send oil prices higher.
For now, Washington and Tehran appear ready to return to the negotiating table. However, the recent military exchanges show that the interim peace agreement still faces serious challenges.