The United States and Iran have agreed to cease attacks over control of the Strait of Hormuz and will continue technical talks on their memorandum of understanding, a U.S. official said on June 28.
“Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MOU. Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely,” the official said.
The official was referring to the memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides on June 17, which includes the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which a significant share of global oil and gas shipments passes.
Both countries launched fresh strikes on June 27 and June 28 after the U.S. military accused Iran of attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command said on June 26 its forces targeted Iranian drone and missile storage facilities after Iran struck M/V Ever Lovely, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, as it was exiting the waterway on June 25.
The command later said on June 28 that it struck 10 Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iran’s strike against the M/T Kiku, a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker.
Among the targets were Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities, CENTCOM said.
In turn, Tehran launched attacks against Bahrain and Kuwait, two small Middle Eastern oil-rich countries located near Iran.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
