Here's the latest
• Exchange of fire: The US and Iran will “stand down for now,” a Trump administration official said after both sides traded fire near the Strait of Hormuz. Technical talks with Iran remain “on track,” said a US official. It’s not clear yet what Iran’s position is on the matter. The recent military action tested an initial agreement that was supposed to halt hostilities during 60 days of negotiations.
• Strait of Hormuz: The official also said vessels can move freely in the strait. But the interim agreement has not been reflected in the waterway. Three routes for ships have now emerged in the corridor, with different authorities vying to organize the transit of vessels.
• In Lebanon: Iran has demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon as part of a final deal with the US. Fighting with Hezbollah has continued, days after a new agreement was signed in Washington.
Despite US-Iran agreement, ship operators face difficult choice in Strait of Hormuz
The agreement which the US and Iran signed earlier this month stipulates that Iran will make “arrangements using its best efforts” to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
But for Iran, reopening the strait does not mean relinquishing control of it. A vaguely worded article in the agreement said Iran and Oman would work together to “define the future administration” of the waterway, effectively giving Tehran a formal role in managing it.
Three distinct routes for ships have now emerged, with different authorities vying to organize the transit of dozens of vessels through the waterway. One southern route goes through the waters off Oman; a second route, which was used before the war, passes through the middle of the strait; and a third route further north is controlled by Iran.
There is growing evidence that operators are prepared to use the Omani route.
On Thursday, 18 vessels transited inbound and 45 outbound through the Strait of Hormuz, according to maritime intelligence analysts Windward. It said more than half the vessels leaving the Gulf had used the southern route close to Oman.
Several large merchant ships used the southern route on Sunday heading for ports in the Gulf, according to ship tracking service Marine Traffic. A container ship also passed through the strait by the same route.
Nevertheless, the lack of clarity over which route to take is complicating efforts for trade in the waterway to return to pre-war levels.
The competing corridors have left ship operators confused, forcing them to navigate not only the treacherous waters but also the complex political currents across the strait.
If ships opt for the non-Iranian routes, they risk being attacked. If they use the Iranian route, they fear the risk of Western sanctions should the agreement collapse.
Where things stand after US-Iran exchanges escalated in recent days
After the US and Iran traded attacks and Gulf nations came under fire, a Trump administration official said on Sunday that both sides will “stand down for now and vessels can move freely” in the Strait of Hormuz. It’s not clear yet what Iran’s position is on the matter.
But even as the official says “vessels can move freely” in the Strait of Hormuz and an interim agreement is in place, this has not been reflected in the waterway, leaving commercial vessel operators and their crews facing confusion and danger.
Here’s what to know:
- What happened: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted US military sites in neighboring countries, including Kuwait and Bahrain, after the US struck Iranian sites. This came after an exchange of fire in previous days between the US and Iran.
- Talks still on: A senior US official said technical talks with Iran are still “on track.” US President Donald Trump previously threatened more military action if Iranian strikes continue, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that countries in the region must not allow “their territory or facilities” to be used for attacks on Iran, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
- In Lebanon: Iran demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon as part of a final deal with the US. Fighting in Lebanon has continued days after the signing of a new agreement in Washington.
- Oil inches higher: Oil futures rose on Sunday, following days of strikes between the US and Iran. On Friday, oil prices reached their lowest levels since the war began, with Brent settling at about $72 and US crude closing around $69. The average price of regular gasoline in the US fell to $3.87 a gallon on Sunday.
- Strait of Hormuz movements: Three routes for ships have emerged with different authorities vying to organize the transit of dozens of vessels. There’s a southern route that goes through the waters off Oman; a second route, which was used before the war, passes through the middle of the strait; and a third route further north is controlled by Iran.
- Shippers fear sanctions: The lack of clarity over which route to take is complicating efforts for trade in the waterway to return to pre-war levels. The competing corridors have left shippers confused, forcing vessels to navigate threats from sea mines, aerial drones and IRGC patrol boats.
CNN’s Julia Benbrook, Kevin Liptak, Tim Lister, Zachary Cohen, Auzinea Bacon, Mostafa Salem and Eleni Giokos contributed reporting.
How four days of escalation in the Middle East unfolded
The United States and Iran “will stand down for now,” a US official said on Sunday after exchange of fire in recent days that is testing the fragile US-Iran agreement.
In Lebanon, continued Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in the country’s south are also further straining peace efforts.
A timeline of the escalation:
Thursday
Iran attacks a Singapore-flagged container ship near the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump describes the move as a “foolish violation” of the initial agreement to end the war.
Friday
The US military conducts strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, targeting Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites.
Saturday
The US detects “a couple of drones” as Iran says it launched strikes on American military targets in the Middle East, but those drones didn’t reach their target, a US official says.
Hours later, the US military conducts more strikes against Iranian targets “in direct response to continued Iranian aggression,” according to the US Central Command.
Iran then launches missiles and drones at US facilities in neighboring countries including Kuwait and Bahrain, Reuters reports the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying. There have been no US casualties or major damage to the facilities, Reuters reports, citing a US official.
Meanwhile in Lebanon, airstrikes hit the southern town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, a day after Israel signed an agreement to withdraw troops from some areas. The Israeli military says it killed Hezbollah militants in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon and dismantled a rocket launcher, according to a Telegram statement.
Sunday
Bahrain and Kuwait say they were targeted by Tehran, with a residential building in Bahrain heavily damaged in the attack. A US official says the Iranian attacks did not impact any of their intended targets.
Qatar’s Interior Ministry says a Qatari citizen on a vessel was killed after sustaining injuries from shrapnel resulting from “the military operations in the area,” though it did not provide more specific details.
Hours later, a Trump administration official says US and Iran “will stand down for now and vessels can move freely,” though it’s not yet clear what Iran’s position is on the matter.
The US and Iran have agreed to meet in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday for further discussions, according to another US official.
And Lebanon reports fresh Israeli attacks as Israel approved continued military operations in the country’s south, days after signing the latest ceasefire agreement.
What US officials have said after the exchange of fire with Iran
Several US officials on Sunday spoke about the next steps after an exchange of fire with Iran near the Strait of Hormuz over the last several days.
Here’s what they have said:
“Stand down for now”
The US and Iran “will stand down for now” following an exchange of fire near the strait, a Trump administration official said on Sunday.
It’s not yet clear what Iran’s position is on the matter.
The United States and Iran have agreed to meet in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday for further discussions, according to another US official.
Talks “on track”
Technical talks regarding the US-Iran memorandum of understanding are still “on track,” a senior US administration official said Sunday.
Some context: The US-Iran memorandum, signed earlier this month, spells out provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing certain financial restrictions on Iran and sets out expectations for addressing Iran’s nuclear program during technical talks.
Its signing triggered a 60-day window to negotiate the final terms of a deal.
Iran wants full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as part of final deal with US
Iran says that a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon must be part of a final deal with the US, as fighting continues to strain the tentative US-Iran agreement.
“The withdrawal of occupiers from all occupied Lebanese areas is necessary for reaching a final and lasting agreement to establish regional stability,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Sunday, according to the official Iranian news agency IRNA.
Iran also insisted on the full implementation of the first clause of the memorandum — ending Israel’s war and military operations against Lebanon, Baghaei said.
The first article of the memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month calls for “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
It also says “the final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” but does not explicitly demand the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
Also on Sunday, Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said: “Our objective is to end the war in Lebanon, enable displaced people to return to their homes, end the occupation, and secure the withdrawal of the Zionist regime from Lebanese territory. “
“We are pursuing this matter with determination,” Ghalibaf told Nabih Berri, speaker of Lebanon’s parliament and the country’s most senior Shia official.
On the ground: Israel has consistently refused to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, citing an ongoing threat from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah to communities in northern Israel.
On Friday, the Israeli and Lebanese governments agreed a process by which the Lebanese military (LAF) would gradually take control of zones in southern Lebanon.
So far the Lebanese military has been unable to force Hezbollah to disarm or withdraw its fighters from southern Lebanon.
