Iran and US agree to halt attacks and renew talks, US official says

Iran and the United States agreed to halt recent hostilities in the Gulf and renew talks regarding their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a US official said on June 28, raising hopes of saving an interim peace deal that was under pressure from days of tit-for-tat 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, referring to the 14-point memorandum of understanding that was agreed on June 17 under which the strait would be re-opened for traffic.

Axios, which first reported the cessation of hostilities, citing a senior US official, said talks would resume on June 30 in Qatar.

A return to diplomacy would follow several days of strikes and counterstrikes since an Iranian projectile hit a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on June 25, with both the US and Iran accusing the other of breaking an interim ceasefire that was agreed to on June 17.

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