US and Iran Agree to Halt Attacks and Resume Talks on Strait of Hormuz in Doha

A senior US official told Axios on Sunday that the United States and Iran have agreed to cease attacks against each other and will meet on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar, to resolve disputes concerning the Strait of Hormuz. The talks, originally scheduled for Switzerland on Sunday and Monday, were postponed due to recent escalations and shifted focus exclusively to the Strait of Hormuz rather than Iran's nuclear program. Jack Stewart, head of the US technical team, is expected to participate in the discussions.

Earlier, Iran announced a freeze on talks with the US following an escalation triggered by Iran attacking a vessel in the Gulf, which led to two nights of US strikes on Iranian targets. The core dispute centers on differing interpretations of a memorandum of understanding: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claims Tehran holds exclusive responsibility for managing traffic through the Strait, a claim the US rejects, insisting that international navigation must continue unhindered.

The agreement reportedly assigns Iran the duty to ensure safe passage and remove military obstacles, but the conflicting interpretations of these terms have fueled recent confrontations. Iran attacked a ship near Oman attempting to bypass Tehran's controlled route, prompting US retaliatory strikes on Iranian military sites, including drone and missile facilities along the Strait's coast.

The US Central Command stated that Iranian forces launched a drone that hit an oil tanker carrying over two million barrels of crude, leading to US strikes on ten Iranian military targets overnight Saturday to Sunday. Iran denied these claims, accused Washington of violating agreements, and responded with attacks on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards warned that US bases in the region would face severe consequences and threatened stronger force against vessels violating Strait protocols.

Despite the recent escalation, both sides appear ready to resume negotiations in Doha to address the unresolved issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Iran insists on collecting transit fees as part of any final agreement, a demand strongly opposed by the US.