US-Iran talks resume this week after Washington and Tehran agreed to halt recent hostilities in the Gulf and continue negotiations over their dispute involving the Strait of Hormuz.
A US official said both countries had agreed to stand down for now under a 14-point memorandum of understanding reached on June 17. The agreement allows commercial vessels to move freely through the strategic waterway while technical discussions continue.
According to reports, the next round of talks is expected to take place in Qatar on Tuesday.
The renewed diplomatic push comes after several days of escalating tensions. The latest violence began when an Iranian projectile struck a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz last Thursday. Both Washington and Tehran later accused each other of violating an interim ceasefire reached earlier this month.
Early on Sunday, Iran launched missiles and drones at US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain shortly after President Donald Trump warned Tehran to honour the agreement. Trump said the United States could take further military action if Iran failed to comply.
Meanwhile, Israel said it had carried out fresh strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, destroying underground infrastructure allegedly used by the group. The attacks came despite a recent ceasefire agreement aimed at reducing tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border.
The US military also confirmed fresh strikes against Iranian targets after a tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
The June 17 interim agreement was intended to stop the conflict, reopen the strait to shipping and create space for negotiations on issues including Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, signs of strain quickly emerged. Iran cancelled technical talks scheduled for Sunday, saying some conditions of the memorandum had not been fulfilled. Iranian official Mehdi Fazaeili said Tehran was still assessing whether it had gained access to previously frozen funds, a key condition under the agreement.
Despite diplomatic efforts, tensions remained high. Kuwait said its air defence systems intercepted two ballistic missiles without causing damage or casualties. Bahrain reported that an Iranian attack damaged a residential building in Muharraq province, although no casualties were reported.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain in response to what it described as American violations of the ceasefire. A US official said there were no reported American casualties or significant damage, but added that the situation remained fluid.
Qatar also reported that one of its nationals died after suffering injuries from shrapnel aboard a vessel affected by military activity in the region. Another person was injured in the same incident.
The latest developments underscore the fragile nature of the interim peace agreement, even as both sides prepare to return to the negotiating table.
