US, Iran Agree to Resume Talks in Qatar After Ceasefire to Ease Strait of Hormuz Tensions
A senior US official says Washington decided to stop strikes on Iran, according to Axios news website
DOHA: The United States and Iran have reportedly agreed to halt hostilities and resume high-level talks in Qatar on Tuesday in an effort to defuse rising tensions over the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
According to a report by Axios, the renewed diplomatic engagement follows an agreement by both sides to suspend military operations after recent clashes fuelled by disagreements over the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that ended the conflict.
A senior US official told Axios that Washington had decided to end all military actions against Iran, saying, “We decided to stop all the kinetic activity,” referring to airstrikes and other military operations.
Under the terms of the MOU, Iran committed to making every effort to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States agreed to lift its blockade on Iranian ports.
The report also said that during negotiations held in Switzerland last week, US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian representatives agreed to establish a direct communication hotline between the US military and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to coordinate maritime traffic and prevent future incidents.
However, the hotline had reportedly not become operational by Saturday, even as Iran continued insisting that commercial vessels coordinate their transit through the vital waterway.
The latest round of talks was originally scheduled to take place in Switzerland and focus on Iran’s nuclear programme. However, following the recent escalation in tensions, the meeting was moved to Doha, Qatar, with discussions now expected to centre primarily on security and navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier on Sunday, The Wall Street Journal reported that negotiations between Washington and Tehran had stalled after the latest outbreak of hostilities, raising concerns over regional stability and the security of one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
The upcoming meeting in Doha is expected to test whether both sides can restore confidence and prevent further escalation in the Gulf region.