US and Iran decide to halt attacks, Strait of Hormuz summit to be held in Qatar

According to reports by US media citing senior American officials, Washington and Tehran have reached an agreement to halt military attacks. The two countries will hold high-level talks in Qatar on Tuesday in an urgent effort to save a fragile peace agreement.

This critical turning point comes after days of military clashes that threatened to derail a June 17 interim memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict that began in late February and disrupted maritime traffic in the vital waterway.

Under the agreement, Tehran had committed to allowing commercial vessels to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington had agreed to lift its blockade on Iranian ports.

'SHIPS WILL BE ABLE TO PASS FOR NOW'

A senior American official told the media outlet Axios on Sunday, referring to a term used for military operations, "We have decided to stop all kinetic activity."

A second American official speaking to Axios stated that both sides would step back "for now" and that "ships will be able to move freely" while talks continue. Two American officials and a third source familiar with the matter confirmed the meeting to be held in Qatar on Tuesday to the portal.

CNN also confirmed with similar statements citing an official from the Trump administration that the two sides had agreed to meet in Doha on Tuesday to conduct further negotiations.

MEETING LOCATION MOVED FROM SWITZERLAND TO QATAR

US President Donald Trump has maintained a tough stance throughout the crisis. On Saturday, Trump reiterated his warnings that they would engage in a full-scale military intervention if Iran resumed its attacks on ships, stating that if the US were "forced" to restart the war, Iran would "no longer exist."

According to diplomatic sources, Tuesday's meeting was originally planned to be held in Switzerland to address broader issues, including Iran's nuclear program. However, following the dangerous escalation in military clashes over the weekend, the location of the talks was shifted to Qatar and the agenda was reduced directly to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.

News Source: 12punto