US and Iran pause strikes, agree to meet in Doha amid Strait of Hormuz tensions

Over the weekend of June 27-28, 2026, the United States and Iran exchanged a series of military strikes targeting each other's forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The violence threatened a fragile interim deal signed earlier in June. However, by June 29, both sides agreed to pause hostilities and hold talks in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Iran had requested a meeting, contradicting Iranian officials who denied any scheduled technical talks. The talks aim to address shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz, the implementation of the interim agreement, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The strikes included US attacks on Iranian coastal radar and military sites in response to Iranian strikes on commercial vessels, and Iranian drone and missile attacks targeting US positions in Kuwait and Bahrain. A Qatari national was killed by shrapnel from the military operations. Oil prices rose again amid the renewed tension. Meanwhile, large-scale protests against the US administration's war policies were held across the United States on the one-month anniversary of the strikes. The Doha talks are expected to involve US Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Iranian representatives. The agenda includes technical working group discussions on the interim deal's implementation, though Iran's deputy foreign minister stated no such meetings were planned for this week. The conflicting statements highlight the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the diplomatic process.