US, Iran pause Hormuz attacks, revive hopes for diplomatic talks
Both sides step back, allowing ships to sail safely through Hormuz
Both sides agreed to pause attacks, allowing ships safe passage through the Hormuz Strait while diplomatic talks resume soon.
Here are the main points:
- Stand‑down: U.S. and Iran agreed to halt attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and allow commercial shipping to resume.
- Reporting: Agreement reported by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post; Iran had not publicly confirmed it.
- Sequence: Agreement follows retaliatory strikes after attacks on commercial vessels; both sides exchanged strikes in Bahrain, Kuwait and Iranian targets.
- Warnings: Iran warned Bahrain against deeper involvement; Bahrain condemned the strikes as violations of sovereignty.
- Dispute: Iran says it alone manages maritime traffic under the memorandum; the U.S. insists on freedom of navigation.
- U.S. stance: Officials warned of further consequences if attacks continue; President Trump reiterated a tough posture.
- Economic impact: Strait disruptions briefly pushed oil prices higher; shipping resumed cautiously.
- Next steps: Technical talks to implement the memorandum and broader negotiations, including issues tied to Iran’s nuclear programme.
Washington — The United States and Iran signalled a pause in their recent military exchanges around the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, agreeing to halt attacks and pursue technical talks aimed at shoring up a fragile ceasefire, even as they remain at odds over who should control one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints.
Officials quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post said both sides agreed to stand down, allowing commercial vessels to move more freely after several days of tit‑for‑tat strikes that had raised fears of a wider regional conflagration. A U.S. official told The New York Times and The Washington Post that the two sides had specifically agreed to stop attacks in the Strait and let shipping resume.
The diplomatic push follows a brief but intense exchange of strikes that began after attacks on commercial vessels in the waterway. Washington blamed Tehran for those incidents and struck Iranian military infrastructure in response. Iran answered with missile and drone strikes aimed at U.S. facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, though U.S. officials said the projectiles were intercepted or fell short of their targets.
As negotiators ready technical discussions to implement the memorandum that produced the tentative ceasefire, Tehran has not publicly confirmed the understanding reported by U.S. sources. Still, the New York Times said talks would continue on translating the memorandum into practical measures to prevent renewed clashes.
The episode also saw a sharp warning from Tehran to Bahrain. Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, cautioned Bahrain on Sunday to avoid deeper involvement, saying it should “know their limits” and refrain from actions that might prompt “harsh decisions” from Iran, according to Tasnim News Agency. Bahrain condemned the strikes it said targeted its territory, calling them a breach of sovereignty and an obstacle to stabilising the Gulf.
Beneath the apparent de‑escalation, a fundamental dispute endures: who manages the Strait. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted in Baghdad that the memorandum leaves responsibility for maritime traffic solely with Tehran. “Under the memorandum of understanding, no other entity or country has any responsibility in this regard,” he said, warning that outside interventions would complicate restoration of normalcy and delay reopening.
Washington has pushed a different line, stressing the principle of freedom of navigation. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz warned of further consequences if attacks on commercial shipping continue. President Donald Trump, after authorising additional strikes over the weekend, renewed stern rhetoric on Truth Social, saying there may come a point when the U.S. would be “forced to militarily complete the job” it had begun.
The brief violence disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage through which about one‑fifth of global seaborne oil normally flows. Markets reacted cautiously: oil prices ticked up as traders weighed the security outlook, while insurers and shipping companies monitored the corridor closely even as vessels began to transit again under the reported stand‑down.
Reports from U.S. outlets said both countries now plan broader negotiations aimed at not only preventing further exchanges at sea but also addressing wider disputes, including Iran’s nuclear programme. Early discussions are expected to prioritise measures to restore uninterrupted shipping and build technical safeguards that can prevent small incidents from escalating into open conflict.