The United States and Iran have agreed to suspend hostilities and hold talks in Qatar on Tuesday, following a weekend of exchanges near the Strait of Hormuz. A Trump administration official confirmed that both sides "will stand down for now," while U.S. officials stated the meeting in Doha is set. However, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied any plans for talks, saying technical meetings would only occur once conditions are met.
Israeli Strikes on Hezbollah Threaten Peace Talks
On Monday, the Israeli Defence Forces launched attacks on three Hezbollah command centres in southern Lebanon, citing ceasefire violations. IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated on X: "These strikes came in response to the terror organization Hezbollah’s continued targeting of our forces operating in the security zone." The strikes targeted Nabatieh and Mayfadoun, and a launcher used by Hezbollah was dismantled.
The fighting has threatened to derail ongoing peace talks between Iran and the U.S., according to ABC News. On Friday, the U.S. announced a framework for future Lebanon-Israel talks, but Hezbollah rejected the agreement on Saturday.
Iran Claims $6 Billion in Frozen Assets to Be Returned
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that half of Iran's frozen assets held in Qatar will be returned to Tehran. According to semi-official Tasnim news agency, Pezeshkian said: "Based on the plans made, $6 billion out of the total $12 billion of Iran’s resources in Qatar will be returned to the country." The memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran stipulates that Washington will make frozen funds available upon implementation of the agreement.
Conflicting Reports on Talks
While several media outlets reported that U.S.-Iran technical talks are expected in Doha on Tuesday, Gharibabadi stated on Telegram: "The first round of technical talks within the framework of the designated working groups will be held when conditions are met and after an agreement is reached on the date and location." He added that consultations with Qatar are ongoing.
An unnamed source told Al Jazeera that technical teams are scheduled to meet in Doha "in the coming days" to implement the memorandum of understanding, with communication channels in place to de-escalate incidents.
