Washington and Tehran Agree to Cease Escalation and Settle Hormuz Dispute in Qatar

SadaNews - American officials reported that the United States has decided to halt all combat activities with Iran, following a round of mutual escalation in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.

Axios reported that a senior U.S. official stated that Washington and Tehran will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, in Doha to resolve the dispute regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

The site mentioned that the hotline between the U.S. military and the Revolutionary Guard had not yet been activated by Saturday.

Furthermore, Reuters quoted an American official as saying that technical discussions on all items of the 14-point memorandum of understanding, agreed upon on June 17, are set to resume, under which the strait will be reopened to navigation.

The official added that both parties would temporarily cease strikes and allow ships to sail freely.

A senior American official stated to Al Jazeera that the technical talks to implement the memorandum of understanding with Iran have not been canceled and are still scheduled for the coming days, adding that the channels for dispute resolution with Iran are still open and active following last week's talks in Switzerland.

Axios also reported from another American official that ships could move freely in the Strait of Hormuz during the technical discussions.

This announcement follows a wave of escalation, as Washington stated that the commercial ship "Kiko" was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

In response, the U.S. Central Command carried out strikes targeting 10 Iranian sites, which it claimed included radars, missile platforms, drones, and facilities for preparing naval mines on Qeshm Island and in the Sirik region.

Tehran retaliated by targeting U.S. military sites, including Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, considering that the American strikes represent a violation of the memorandum of understanding, while Washington insisted that they were aimed at protecting freedom of navigation and preventing threats to commercial vessels.

Iran opposes U.S. efforts to establish alternative routes closer to the Omani side.

The temporary agreement between Washington and Tehran, consisting of 14 points, was supposed to halt the fighting initiated by the U.S. and Israel on February 28 and allow for the opening of the strait to maritime navigation until talks were held regarding more complex issues such as the Iranian nuclear program.