U.S. and Iran to Hold Technical Talks in Qatar on Hormuz Deal

U.S. and Iranian officials are scheduled to meet in Doha on Tuesday to discuss implementation of a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month. The meeting follows a series of strikes and counter-strikes that began early Sunday when U.S. Central Command said it attacked ten Iranian military targets.

Iran responded with strikes against U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, according to Iranian state media.

Recent Military Exchanges U.S.

Central Command stated the strikes targeted continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping. Iran said the U.S. attacks violated the agreement and that its own strikes were in retaliation. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed over the weekend, with only 12 vessels transiting on Sunday compared with 29 on Saturday, according to maritime tracking firm Kpler.

Oman held their first meeting of the Joint Hormuz Committee in Muscat on Monday to discuss future management of the strait. Iran's deputy foreign minister stated the two sides exchanged views on current issues and future administration. The published text of the memorandum of understanding says Iran will define future administration of the strait in dialogue with Oman and other Gulf states in line with international law.

>"IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING.

A U.S. official told AFP that both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely in and around the strait. A diplomat with knowledge of the talks said communications channels created to de-escalate incidents remain in place. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they are taking measures to control traffic and that vessels violating those measures will be dealt with more firmly than before.