Updated Jun 28, 2026 - Politics & Policy

U.S. and Iran agree to halt strikes, hold talks in Qatar this week: U.S. officials

Barak Ravid

Delegation staff members stand and talk in the lobby of the Bürgenstock Resort during the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland. — Delegation staff members gather in the lobby during a meeting between the U.S., Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Lake Lucerne Summit at the Bürgenstock Resort near Stansstad, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026. Photo: Nathan Howard/Pool/Getty Images

The U.S. and Iran agreed to stop attacking each other, according to a senior U.S. official, as the two sides plan to hold talks this week in Qatar's capital to work out their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz.

Why it matters: The ceasefire is barely 11 days old and already on shaky ground with renewed strikes by both sides and President Trump's threat to restart the war and "complete the job."

The renewed fighting was sparked by competing interpretations of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war — especially its terms on the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest: "We decided to stop all the kinetic activity," a senior U.S. official tells Axios, using the military's term for strikes and other attacks.

A second U.S. official tells Axios both sides will stand down "for now" and that "vessels can move freely" as technical talks are set to continue.
Both U.S. officials and a third source with knowledge confirmed Tuesday's planned meeting.

Catch up quick: Under the MOU, Iran committed to make its best efforts to allow safe passage of commercial vessels through the strait. In return, the U.S. lifted its blockade of Iranian ports.

During negotiations in Switzerland last week, the U.S. delegation — headed by Vice President Vance — agreed with Iran to establish a "hotline" between the U.S. military and the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), Iran's military command, to coordinate traffic in the strait.
As of Saturday, the "hotline" still wasn't operational even as Iran started claiming, again, that ships need to coordinate passage.

State of play: Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Doha on Monday and meet on Tuesday with the emir of Qatar the Qatari prime minister and other regional officials to discuss the Iran deal, a White House official and a regional source said.

It's still unclear if Witkoff and Kushner will meet any Iranian officials.
The source added that on Wednesday the head of the U.S. technical team, Nick Stewart, and his Iranian counterpart Kazem Gharibabadi will meet separately with the Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
The Doha talks were originally set to happen in Switzerland to address Iran's nuclear program, a source with knowledge of the talks said. The escalation moved them to a different venue and refocused them on the Strait of Hormuz.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information.

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U.S. and Iran agree to halt strikes, hold talks in Qatar this week: U.S. officials

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