US, Iran agree to halt strikes but broader talks pending

A US official said both the US and Iran have agreed to pause their attacks and allow vessels to move through the Strait of Hormuz. Technical talks between both sides are still to resume.

https://p.dw.com/p/5GDUF

A vessel in the Strait of Hormuz near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran, June 17, 2026.
Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime channels (File photo: June 17)Image: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA/REUTERS

Skip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

  • Iranian official says there are no technical talks with the US this week
  • Technical negotiations meant to cement a final deal to end the Iran war
  • Attacks by both Iran and US over the weekend threatened to derail peace talks 
  • Interim peace deal was signed on June 17

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Skip next section Iran says no technical meeting expected with US in coming days06/29/2026June 29, 2026

Iran says no technical meeting expected with US in coming days

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Monday that technical ‌working ⁠group ⁠meetings under the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding ​were not scheduled for this ​week, Iran’s Tasnim ​news ‌agency reported.

Earlier, several media outlets reported that US-Iran talks were to take place in Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday, though DW clarified that Iran’s position was not yet known.

Gharibabadi ​said consultations between Iran ​and Qatar regarding ‌the US commitments were continuing ​as ⁠planned but
that technical working ⁠group ​talks in Doha had not been confirmed.

Iran and the US signed an initial agreement on 17th June, kicking off a 60-day period of negotiations on a final deal to end the war. 

https://p.dw.com/p/5GFK4Skip next section Iran says $6 billion of Iranian assets in Qatar to be released, state media reports06/29/2026June 29, 2026

Iran says $6 billion of Iranian assets in Qatar to be released, state media reports

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian holds up a signed memorandum featuring the signature of President Trump in an image released on June 18
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian holds up a signed memorandum featuring the signature of President Trump in an image released on June 18Image: IRIB/AFP

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday ‌that, ⁠after ⁠an agreement with the US lifted oil ​and petrochemical ​sanctions, $6 ‌billion out of $12 billion of assets ‌frozen in Qatar ‌would ​be released and returned to Iran, Iranian ​state media reported.

Iran and the ⁠United ​States ​signed an interim ​agreement this month ‌to prepare the ​ground ⁠for a settlement ⁠of ​their conflict.

 

https://p.dw.com/p/5GELXSkip next section Iranian and Omani diplomats hold first meeting of Hormuz Joint Committee06/29/2026June 29, 2026

Iranian and Omani diplomats hold first meeting of Hormuz Joint Committee

Iran and Oman held a first meeting of the Hormuz Joint Committee in Muscat on Monday, according to Iranian ‌deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi.

Gharibabadi said on X that he met with Oman’s Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Al-Hinai to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Oman and Iran.

“While reviewing current issues related to the Strait, we exchanged views on the future management of the Strait within the framework of paragraph five of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understandingand the sovereign rights of the coastal states,” he wrote, alluding to the interim peace agreement signed with the United States earlier this month.

Iran and Oman are working out the details on how the vital waterway, through which around 20% of the world’s oil usually flows, will be governed.

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https://p.dw.com/p/5GDuvSkip next section US and Iranian teams to continue technical talks06/29/2026June 29, 2026

US and Iranian teams to continue technical talks

The US and Iran are slated to meet in Doha on Tuesday for talks, media reports say, though Iran’s position on the matter is not clear yet.

The talks were initially supposed to take place in Switzerland and focus on Iran’s nuclear program, according to news site Axios, but were moved to Qatar to focus on the Strait of Hormuz following a recent escalation.

The US-Iran interim peace agreement, signed on June 17, has come under strain following tit-for-tat military strikes between the two countries.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump warned in a post on Truth Social that “the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist” if a point is reached where he decides the US will no longer be “reasonable,” highlighting the fragile nature of the peace agreement.

https://p.dw.com/p/5GDrQSkip next section What happened over the weekend?06/29/2026June 29, 2026

What happened over the weekend?

Smoke rises from a residential building, which according to the Bahraini Interior Ministry, was hit by an Iranian drone
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, saying they had targeted Gulf states hosting US military bases Image: Bahrain Police Media/Handout/REUTERS

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.”

https://p.dw.com/p/5GDZ3Skip next section US and Iran agree to halt attacks06/29/2026June 29, 2026

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.”

https://p.dw.com/p/5GDZbSkip next section Welcome to our coverage06/29/2026June 29, 2026

Welcome to our coverage

Shakeel Sobhan | Roshni Majumdar Editor

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.

Follow along.

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