US and Iran Signal De-Escalation After Gulf Strikes

After days of US‑Iran strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, both sides say they will stand down and allow vessels to pass freely as talks toward a longer‑term ceasefire continue. Iran has denied plans for talks this week, while Trump says a Doha meeting is planned. A June 17 MoU pledged an immediate, permanent end to military operations and safe passage for commercial ships for 60 days, but renewed attacks and retaliations have kept tensions high, including Iran strikes on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain and US strikes on Iran, with no casualties reported. The Hormuz route remains critical for energy shipments, and broader regional tensions, including Israel‑Lebanon dynamics, frame the situation.