Iran and US agree to pause hostilities and resume talks

June 30 ------ Iran and the US have reportedly agreed to pause recent hostilities in the Gulf and restart diplomatic talks over tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

As reported by Reuters, a U.S. official said on 28 June that both sides would “stand down for now,” allowing vessels to move freely again, as technical discussions continue under a 14-point memorandum of understanding agreed on June 17. According to Axios, citing a senior U.S. official, the renewed negotiations are expected to resume on 30 June in Qatar.

The move toward diplomacy follows several days of escalating strikes and counterstrikes after an Iranian projectile hit a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Both Washington and Tehran accused each other of violating an interim ceasefire.

The U.S. military also carried out strikes on Iranian targets, while Iran launched missiles and drones toward U.S. military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, shortly after President Donald Trump warned of severe consequences if the agreement collapsed.

The violence has spread beyond the Gulf. Israel reported additional strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, including underground infrastructure, despite a recent ceasefire arrangement there.

Trump and Iranian officials exchanged threats, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying U.S. bases in the region would face continued retaliation, while Trump suggested further military action remained possible.

Despite the escalation, officials on both sides say large-scale casualties have so far been avoided. U.S. sources reported no major damage or deaths from the Iranian strikes, though Bahrain and Kuwait activated air defenses and intercepted missiles.

Qatar also reported a fatality and injuries from shrapnel on a vessel linked to the wider military activity in the region, underscoring the continuing risk to civilian and commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: safety4sea.com