US, Iran agree to halt strikes amid reports of fresh talks
Published June 29, 2026last updated June 29, 2026
What you need to know
- US and Iranian teams are planning to meet in Qatar on Tuesday, Axios reports
- Attacks by both sides over the weekend threatened to derail peace talks
- Interim peace deal was signed on June 17
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What happened over the weekend?
On Friday, the US accused Iran of attacking a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, jeopardizing a ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
In response, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced fresh strikes on Iran. CENTCOM said on Sunday that US fighter jets had struck 10 Iranian military targets.
Iran's Foreign Ministry accused the US of a "blatant violation" of the peace agreement between the two countries, while Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted US military facilities in retaliation for Friday's strikes.
Iran then launched drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait in response to US airstrikes.
Fighting in Lebanon threatens deal
Meanwhile, Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement in Washington on Friday after several days of talks, a move welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Sunday, Lebanese state media reported that Israel carried out an airstrike targeting southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army said it destroyed an extensive tunnel in southern Lebanon on Sunday.
The Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah has rejected the agreement as "null and void."
US and Iran agree to halt attacks
The United States and Iran have agreed to halt attacks and resume technical talks after a weekend of tit-for-tat strikes threatened an interim peace deal, a US official said late on Sunday.
"Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MOU," a US official told reporters, referring to the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.
"Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely" in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the official said.
Delegates from Washington and Tehran are set to meet on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar, according to US news site Axios.
Despite an April ceasefire, the two sides have continued to exchange attacks, threatening the flow of traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
On Sunday, US Central Command said it had struck 10 Iranian military targets over "continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping."
Welcome to our coverage
Here are the latest updates regarding the Iran war and wider Middle East.
Late Sunday, the United States and Iran agreed to halt attacks on each other and resume talks aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East, a US official announced.
Over the weekend, the US military said it had struck 10 Iranian military targets over "continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping."
This comes even as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed the importance of retaining control over the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to state media.
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