The United States and Iran have agreed to pause their exchange of military strikes and allow commercial shipping to resume through the Strait of Hormuz, as President Donald Trump announced a fresh round of talks between the two sides in Qatar on Tuesday. Trump posted on social media that Iran had “requested a meeting” and that it would take place in Doha, without providing further details on the agenda or level of representation. Iran reacted by shooting down the claim, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi saying that while Tehran’s consultations with Qatar “are ongoing as usual,” reports of technical talks in Doha “are not confirmed.”
The announcement follows a weekend of escalating strikes that pushed the fragile Memorandum of Understanding – signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 17 – to breaking point. The latest exchange began when Iran attacked a cargo ship near Oman on Thursday, triggering US airstrikes in response, followed by Iranian counterstrikes against American military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. The two sides have since agreed to stand down for now, with US officials saying vessels can move freely through the strait.
Amid the ongoing diplomatic uncertainty, Iran and Oman held an important meeting in Muscat. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister said the first meeting of the Joint Hormuz Committee focused on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz under an existing agreement and the rights of coastal nations. However, the two countries differ on shipping fees. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said Oman does not support charging transit fees, calling such charges against international norms, and said Iran is fully responsible for ensuring safe passage through the waterway. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, warned that any attempt to bypass Tehran’s arrangements could further delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and make the situation more complicated.
On the financial front, Iranian President Pezeshkian sought to reassure his domestic audience of the deal’s dividends. He announced that six billion dollars out of the twelve billion dollars in Iranian assets frozen in Qatar would be released and returned to Tehran as part of plans under the interim agreement, calling it “a great victory for the Iranian people.” Ship tracking data shows maritime traffic through the strait has modestly recovered over the past 36 hours, though a growing number of vessels are diverting close to the Omani coastline – a development that could gradually erode Tehran’s leverage over the vital waterway.
