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Iran and the United States have agreed to resume talks to de-escalate recent military tensions, halt attacks, and resolve disputes over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. A US official confirmed this on Sunday.
According to the US official, technical-level discussions will continue under the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on June 17. Concurrently, both sides will refrain from military actions for now, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will be maintained as normal.
US-based media outlet Axios reported that a new round of talks between the two parties is expected to commence in Qatar next Tuesday.
Previously, tit-for-tat attacks began between the two countries after an Iranian projectile struck a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Both sides accused each other of violating the interim ceasefire of June 17.
Early Sunday morning, Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain. Shortly before this, US President Donald Trump had warned that if Iran failed to adhere to the agreement, the United States could intensify its military operations.
Trump had written on social media, “At some point, we will no longer be able to restrain ourselves and will be forced to militarily complete the work we started.” He further added, “If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will cease to exist.”
Conversely, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that US attacks violated the ceasefire. The IRGC stated in a release that its naval and air units conducted joint operations targeting US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. They warned that if such attacks continued, the diplomatic process could be entirely halted.
However, a US official told Reuters that no US personnel were killed or injured in the Iranian attacks, and no significant damage was reported.
Meanwhile, Bahrain reported that a residential building in Muharraq province was damaged by an Iranian drone attack, though no casualties occurred. The country has demanded an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to hold Iran accountable.
Kuwait’s army also stated that it intercepted two ballistic missiles, causing no damage.
Meanwhile, Qatar reported that one of its citizens was killed and another injured on a ship during the military operations. However, the country has not directly blamed any party for the incident.
On the other hand, Israel announced new attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Iran stated that for a broader peace agreement to be effective, the conflict in Lebanon must also cease.
The interim peace agreement of June 17 aimed to end the conflict that began on February 28, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and pave the way for discussions on various contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
Source: Reuters.