Iran and the United States have agreed to halt recent hostilities in the Persian Gulf and resume diplomatic talks, a US official stated. The move aims to salvage an interim peace agreement that had been under severe pressure following days of retaliatory strikes.
"Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MOU. Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely," the official said, referencing the 14-point memorandum of understanding that re-opened the vital Strait of Hormuz for traffic.
Reports indicate the renewed talks are scheduled to begin Tuesday in Qatar. This diplomatic step follows a period of intense escalation, including Iranian missile and drone attacks on US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated its operations were a response to US strikes it claims violated the ceasefire. However, a US official confirmed there were no reported American casualties or major damage to facilities in the region.
The violence underscored the fragility of the initial accord brokered to end the conflict that began in February. Iran had previously cancelled scheduled technical talks, citing attacks on its territory and unmet conditions, such as access to unfrozen funds.
Separately, Israel confirmed it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, a conflict Iran insists must end for the wider agreement to hold.
