Iran and the United States have reportedly agreed to halt recent strikes and renew talks regarding their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz.
The development, reported by Axios, could end hostilities that had threatened an interim peace agreement. The two sides plan to meet Tuesday in Qatar, Axios said, citing a senior US official.
Iran and the US had traded attacks in the Gulf in recent days as each accused the other of violating an interim deal signed less than two weeks ago to end their four month war.
On Sunday, Iran said its naval and aerospace forces carried out a joint missile and drone operation targeting US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, and warned further violations would receive a “crushing response”.
Earlier, the US military said it had struck Iran for the second day after a tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said its strikes were launched “in direct response to continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping".
Read MoreInterim peace deal in jeopardy after US and Iran trade fresh strikes
‘Trump wasn’t victorious – it was a major defeat’: protestors inside Iran speak out
Iran narrowly knocked out of tumultuous World Cup on Austria's last-second goal
Key Points
- Iran and US agree to halt attacks and renew talks, US official says
- Iranian foreign minister says U.S., Israel have violated parts of memorandum of understanding
- Recap: Interim ceasefire under strain as US and Iran exchange fire over Strait of Hormuz
- Iran hit out at 'unfair' and 'unsportsmanlike treatment' as they exit World Cup
- Israel damaged heritage sites across south Lebanon, minister fears
Iranian and US teams set to meet in Doha in coming days
09:50 , Alex CroftIranian and US technical teams working on the implementation of a memorandum of understanding are set to meet in Doha in the coming days, a source with knowledge of the talks said on Monday.
Mediators have established communications channels to de-escalate any incidents, and technical talks are set to continue, the source added.
$6 billion of Iranian assets in Qatar to be released - Iranian state media
09:27 , Alex CroftIranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that, after an agreement with the US lifted oil and petrochemical sanctions, $6 billion (£4.5bn) out of $12 billion (£9.1bn) of assets frozen in Qatar would be released and returned to Iran, Iranian state media reported.
Iran and the United States signed an interim agreement this month to prepare the ground for a settlement of their conflict.
Iran narrowly knocked out of tumultuous World Cup on Austria's last-second goal
09:05 , Alex CroftIran has been eliminated from the World Cup, narrowly failing to advance past the group stage in a politically charged tournament where the team played its matches amid tight restrictions imposed by the United States.
Iran missed the round of 32 by one spot in heartbreaking fashion.
It finished third in Group G with three points earned with draws against Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt. Iran appeared to have advanced via tiebreakers when Algeria scored a stunning stoppage-time goal to go ahead of Austria 3-2 Saturday night, but Austria tied it back up seconds later on the game's final play. Their draw ensured Iran's elimination.
It was one last painful moment for Iran in a World Cup that's been tumultuous, on and off the pitch.
Read more here:
Iran narrowly knocked out of tumultuous World Cup on Austria's last-second goal
By numbers: Impact of Iran-US war on fuel prices at the pump
08:42 , Alex CroftThe four month conflict has sent fuel prices rocketing as countries reliant on Brent crude faced shortages of fuel.
In the UK, diesel prices shot up to £1.92, an increase of nearly 50 pence compared to pre-war, while unleaded petrol rose by 27 pence to around £1.59. These were the highest prices since highest since the late 2022, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine sent unleaded prices up to £1.91 and diesel up to £1.99.
Watch: Protestors march against the Iranian regime and football team at World Cup match
08:20 , Alex CroftIran and Oman hold first meeting of joint Strait of Hormuz committee
07:54 , Alex CroftIran and Oman have held the first meeting of a joint committee on the Strait of Hormuz in Muscat, an Iranian deputy foreign minister said on his X account on Monday.
Kazem Gharibabadi said they had exchanged views on Gulf coastal states' sovereign rights and on future management of the strait.
“While reviewing current issues related to the Strait, we exchanged views on the future management of the Strait within the framework of paragraph five of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and the sovereign rights of the coastal states,” he wrote.
How violence has followed a much-anticipated peace deal
07:32 , Alex CroftOne round of mediated talks, led by vice president JD Vance and Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, was held in Switzerland a week ago and Washington waived sanctions on Tehran.
But fighting has since resumed and intensified.
In a Truth Social post, Donald Trump said on Sunday: "There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started.”
About an hour after Trump's post, Kuwait's army said its air defenses were responding to missile and drone attacks, while Bahrain said sirens had sounded there.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement its navy and air forces had launched missile and drone operations targeting US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The Guards said US strikes had violated the ceasefire and "will result in the complete halt of all diplomatic processes", state-run Press TV said. The IRGC navy command said American bases in the region "will experience hell in the coming days".
Hours later, alarms sounded for a second time in Bahrain, where authorities said an Iranian attack damaged a residential building in Muharraq province, with no casualties reported.
The Kuwaiti army said it had intercepted two ballistic missiles with no damage or casualties.
Separately, Qatar said one of its nationals had died after sustaining injuries from shrapnel aboard a vessel that had gone missing on Saturday. A second person was injured in the incident.
‘Trump wasn’t victorious – it was a major defeat’: protestors inside Iran speak out
07:00 , Graig GraziosiThe signing of a memorandum of understanding between US president Donald Trump and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian was seen by many Iranians not as the end of a crisis, as portrayed by Washington and Tehran, but as a symbol of “political betrayal” and “America’s historic failure”.
In messages sent to Independent Persian, readers from various cities across Iran said that after 39 days of war, Trump ultimately agreed to a deal with the Islamic Republic while the core power structure in Tehran remains intact, the influence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has grown, and ordinary Iranians have been left to cope with economic hardship, destroyed homes, unemployment and a new wave of executions.
Their anger is directed above all at the gap between the rhetoric that accompanied the start of the war and its eventual outcome.
READ MORE:
‘Trump wasn’t victorious – it was a major defeat’: protestors inside Iran speak out
Qatar says citizen killed from shrapnel due to 'military operations'
06:46 , Namita SinghQatar's interior ministry said on Sunday a Qatari national was killed after sustaining injuries from shrapnel due to "military operations in the area" after a vessel carrying him and another person went missing.
The ministry said the second individual was injured, adding that it located the missing vessel in the early hours of Sunday after search operations that started a day earlier.
It did not give the location of the incident and did not say whether the shrapnel was linked to Iranian drones launched against US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain on Sunday.
Iran cyberattacks on Israel surged in 2026, Israeli cyber chief says
06:26 , Namita SinghThe number of Iranian cyberattacks against Israel has shot up since the launch of the US-Israeli offensive against Iran this year, a senior Israeli security official was quoted as saying on Monday.
Yossi Karadi, Director General of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, told German newspaper Die Welt that in June 2025 during Israeli military operations against Iran, Israel's authorities registered around 1,600 hostile cyber incidents.
During the same month in 2026, the number had jumped to some 4,800 incidents, he told the paper.
"Some groups are very skilled," Karadi said, according to the German text of the interview.
"We can handle them, but we have to take them seriously. Unlike in the kinetic realm, there's no ceasefire in cyberspace."
Karadi said the attacks were directed against systems used by Israel's critical infrastructure, central organisations, small to medium-sized companies and the public, citing law practices and accounting firms as among the smaller ones hit.
"So far – and hopefully it stays that way – we've managed to fend off attacks on critical infrastructure," he said.
Companies that were easier to penetrate often ended up having their computer systems wiped, he said, without mentioning any names. Iran typically denies carrying out hacking campaigns against other countries while reporting attacks on itself.
Israel says it destroyed Hezbollah underground infrastructure in southern Lebanon
06:06 , Namita SinghThe Israeli military said it destroyed underground infrastructure used by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in a village in southern Lebanon, according to a joint statement by the Israeli prime minister and defence minister on Sunday.
The US was informed ahead of the attack, which targeted a 200m long tunnel in the town of Majdal Zoun, according to the statement from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Israel Katz.
The strike came two days after Lebanon and Israel agreed a US-brokered security arrangement intended to ease hostilities along the border.
The agreement provides for a phased Israeli withdrawal from some parts of southern Lebanon alongside the deployment of the Lebanese army, although Israeli forces would be permitted to remain in an expanded security zone for the time being.
The Israeli statement said the tunnel contained hundreds of weapons and launchers. The attack comes hours after the Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and hit a rocket launcher in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah said early on Monday that the Israeli attacks were a "flagrant" violation of the ceasefire to which it has so far adhered, adding that it is closely monitoring all such violations and reserves the right to "defend its homeland and people”.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has rejected the security agreement, describing it as a surrender to Israel. He said the group would continue its armed resistance.
Netanyahu said in his statement late on Sunday that the Israeli military would remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon and will "continue to destroy terrorist infrastructure, remove threats from the northern communities, and safeguard the security of Israel's citizens".
More than a million Lebanese have been driven from their homes by the conflict that has run in parallel with the wider Iran war. Hezbollah and Iran say Washington pledged to ensure the end of hostilities in Lebanon as part of its memorandum of understanding signed two weeks ago to end the wider war.
Qatari citizen killed, one other injured by military strike in Strait of Hormuz
06:00 , Graig GraziosiQatar’s Interior Ministry announced on Sunday that a Qatari citizen had been killed and another injured amid the hostilities between the U.S. and Israel and Iran.
According to the interior ministry, the two individuals were on a boat that was struck by shrapnel from a military strike. The ministry said the vessel never returned to port on Saturday, which kicked off a search and rescue operation.
Responders found the vessel and the two individuals early on Sunday. The injured individual — who has not been identified — was transported to a hospital for treatment. The Qatari citizen died.
Philippines leads the world in rush to solar as power prices soar
05:47 , Namita SinghPeople in the Philippines are flocking to install solar power on rooftops and escape the burden of soaring electricity prices, making it the world's biggest spender on solar panels since the war in Iran started.
Top power distributor Meralco has raised prices by 10 per cent since the Middle East conflict began in late February. Now, a median household spends around 12 per cent of monthly income on electricity, assuming it consumes 200 kilowatt-hours – approximately the monthly average for three people.
The Philippines is one of the few countries in Southeast Asia with barely any power subsidies, and its residential power prices are the highest in the region. Only Singapore comes close, but its citizens average purchasing power is nearly 13 times higher.
Adrian Sabatera, a 39-year-old software engineer, thought about getting solar for years but found it too costly. That changed as costs came down and electricity prices kept rising."I wouldn't be shocked if a third of the middle-class population eventually finds their way to this setup," Mr Sabatera said after recently pulling the trigger on a ₱570,000 ($9,300) installation at the Manila house he shares with `three others.
The rooftop solar rush has resulted in $407m in panel imports in the three months through May, a 145 per cent increase from a year earlier, according to trade data from China, which accounts for most global supply.
Even when Chinese panel shipments fell 13 per cent in May after a tax rebate removal, exports to the Philippines rose by almost a third. On paper, the Netherlands remains a larger market for panels, but experts say that's because it is a transshipment hub.
Israel struck Hezbollah militants in Lebanon
05:20 , Namita SinghIsrael said on Sunday it had once again struck Iran-backed armed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, destroying underground infrastructure used by the group in a village in southern Lebanon.
That came after another strike on Saturday, which closely followed its latest ceasefire deal with Lebanon on Friday. Iran says the fighting in Lebanon must end if the wider agreement is to stick.
The US military said earlier it had struck Iran again, hours after a tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important energy shipping route, which Tehran has largely closed for most of the conflict.
"There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started," Trump said on social media, before the Axios report.
"If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!" he added. The 14-point interim peace accord was meant to halt the fighting, which the US and Israel started on 28 February, and reopen the strait while talks proceeded on issues such as Iran's nuclear program.
Iranian foreign minister says U.S., Israel have violated parts of memorandum of understanding
05:01 , Graig GraziosiAbbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, met with Iraqi officials in Baghdad on Sunday where he accused the U.S. and Israel of violating parts of the recently-established memorandum of understanding between the three nations.
He announced the meeting on his Telegram channel.
Araghchi met with Iraqi President Nizar Amidi and told the leader that the alleged violation could prove to be a major hurdle to future peace in the region.
He insisted that Iran was acting according to the memorandum but wanted the nation would respond decisively to breaches from the U.S. or Israel.
Video: Israel destroys Hezbollah underground infrastructure in southern Lebanon
04:52 , Namita SinghIran and US agree to halt attacks and renew talks, US official says
04:26 , Namita SinghIran and the United States agreed to halt recent hostilities in the Gulf and renew talks regarding their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a US official said on Sunday, raising hopes of saving an interim peace deal that was under pressure from days of tit-for-tat strikes.
“Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the Mou. Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely," the official said, referring to the 14-point memorandum of understanding that was agreed on 17 June under which the strait would be re-opened for traffic.
Axios, which first reported the cessation of hostilities, citing a senior US official, said talks would resume on Tuesday in Qatar.
A return to diplomacy would follow several days of strikes and counterstrikes since an Iranian projectile hit a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, with both the US and Iran accusing the other of breaking an interim ceasefire that was agreed to on 17 June.
Iran launched missiles and drones at US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain early on Sunday, shortly after president Donald Trump threatened that the Islamic Republic would cease to exist if it did not honor the agreement to end the war.
Israel moves to formally recognise Armenian WWI deaths as genocide
04:15 , Namita SinghIsrael’s cabinet unanimously approved a proposal on Sunday to designate violence against Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during First World War as genocide.
The step, which still needs approval in parliament, reflects deteriorating ties between Israel and Turkey. Turkey has fiercely lobbied to prevent countries from officially recognising the mass deaths of Armenians around 1915 as a genocide, even as Armenians have pushed for it.
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.
For years, Israel never officially broached the subject for fear of angering Turkey, but that relationship has soured over the past two decades, especially as the most recent wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran have dragged on.
“Despite the extensive and unambiguous historical documentation, the Armenian Genocide remains to this day the subject of an institutionalised campaign of denial and minimisation, including a manipulative rewriting of history, mainly by the Turkish government,” said Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar, who brought the decision to the government.
Turkey called Israel’s move a “politically motivated” step meant to distract from the country’s own actions against Palestinians.
RECAP: Interim ceasefire under strain as US and Iran exchange fire over Strait of Hormuz
04:00 , Amy-Clare MartinThe interim peace deal between the US and Iran is under strain after both sides traded blows as tensions escalate over shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US bombarded Iranian military sites for the second day in row on Sunday in response to drone attacks on cargo ships in the region.
- 26 June: Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely cargo ship was hit by a drone in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump called the incident a “foolish violation” of the ceasefire agreement before the US hit back, striking targets in Iran’s Sirik region.
- 27 June: A Panama-flagged MT Kiku cargo ship was also struck in the Strait. Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Saturday evening to warn that Iran would “no longer exist” if Tehran kept breaking the ceasefire. US Central Command confirmed it had launched fresh strikes on Iranian military sites “in direct response to continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping”.
- 28 June: Iran on Sunday said its naval and aerospace forces carried out a joint missile and drone operation targeting US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, and warned further violations would receive a “crushing response”. Gulf allies condemned the attacks in the region, but Iran’s foreign minister warned that any challenge to Iranian oversight of the strait will “increase tensions”.
What has Iran's foreign minister said?
03:00 , Amy-Clare MartinIran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has said bringing maritime traffic back to pre-war levels in the Strait of Hormuz lies solely with Tehran, and warned that any challenge over the strait will “increase tensions”.
The comments were made in a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad on Sunday, as the pair discussed the latest attacks as well as the all-important issue of the strait, according to Reuters.
Araghchi also reiterated his previous position that the memorandum of understanding signed with the US mandates that Israel withdraw from Lebanon and end its strikes there.
By numbers: Impact of Iran-US war on fuel prices at the pump
02:00 , Amy-Clare MartinThe four month conflict has sent fuel prices rocketing as countries reliant on Brent crude faced shortages of fuel.
In the UK, diesel prices shot up to £1.92, an increase of nearly 50 pence compared to pre-war, while unleaded petrol rose by 27 pence to around £1.59. These were the highest prices since highest since the late 2022, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine sent unleaded prices up to £1.91 and diesel up to £1.99.
Trump promises farmers they will get to sell crops to ‘lovely country of Iran’ after war
01:00 , Amy-Clare MartinPresident Donald Trump has promised American farmers they will soon be able to sell their crops to the “lovely country of Iran” now that he has signed a memorandum of understanding to end his war.
Read more:
Trump promises farmers they will sell crops to ‘lovely country of Iran’ after war
In detail: How Iran-US war hit global oil prices
Monday 29 June 2026 00:00 , Amy-Clare MartinThe blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has had a direct impact on global oil prices. With Brent crude - the global benchmark - rocketing to a peak of $114 per barrel in early May, a seismic shift was felt across the world.
Prices have largely recovered since a temporary truce came into place between Washington and Tehran, with prices now sitting at around $77 per barrel - $6 higher than the day before the war, but nearly $19 higher than a year-low of $59 in early January.
ICYMI: Iran hit out at 'unfair' and 'unsportsmanlike treatment' as they exit World Cup
Sunday 28 June 2026 23:00 , Amy-Clare MartinIran’s football team fired a parting shot at what they called the “unfair and unsportsmanlike” treatment they have received as they left the World Cup.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Egypt, in which Iran had a goal disallowed after a lengthy VAR check, was not enough for them to reach the knockout stages, ending a fraught tournament amid their nation’s conflict with the US.
The team had been due to be based in Arizona but switched to Tijuana, Mexico, and have faced a number of travel restrictions for their matches in the United States.
In a statement as they headed home, the Iranian federation (FFIRI) thanked the media for covering their situation.
“Thank you for your professionalism, your support and for covering not only our team’s sporting journey but also the unfair and unsportsmanlike treatment our delegation experienced during our stay,” the statement said.
Full story: Iran attacks Bahrain and Kuwait following US strikes
Sunday 28 June 2026 22:00 , Amy-Clare MartinIran's Revolutionary Guard launched drone and missile attacks on Sunday targeting Bahrain and Kuwait in response to U.S. airstrikes that hit the Islamic Republic, and threatened a “complete halt” to negotiations to end the war if Washington continues its attacks.
Read more:
Iran attacks Bahrain and Kuwait following US strikes and threatens to halt talks to end the war
US and Iran agree to halt attacks, hold talks in Doha this week
Sunday 28 June 2026 21:48 , Dan HaygarthThe United States and Iran agreed to stop strikes against each other, a senior US official said, according to a report by Axios on Sunday.
The two sides anticipate meeting on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar's capital, Axios said, to work out their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for oil shipments from the region
Figures lay bare impact of Iran-US war on shipping
Sunday 28 June 2026 21:00 , Amy-Clare MartinThe number of tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz collapsed dramatically the moment the blockade was imposed in March, from a five-day moving average of around 60 per day down to less than one.
Summary: Gulf allies condemn Iranian strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait
Sunday 28 June 2026 20:30 , Amy-Clare Martin- The United Arab Emirates has condemned Iran’s fresh drone and missile strikes on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait as a “flagrant violation” of the nations’ sovereignty.
- Qatar called the strikes a “flagrant breach” of international law and called for efforts to return to diplomacy to “reduce escalation” in the region.
- The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemned “treacherous” attacks, adding that they “actively undermine” peace efforts.
Photos show Ashoura commemorations shaped by war and loss in Lebanon and Iran
Sunday 28 June 2026 20:00 , Amy-Clare MartinWar, loss and remembrance shaped the observances this year in Lebanon and Iran of Ashoura, one of Shiite Islam's most important religious days.
Read more:
Photos show Ashoura commemorations shaped by war and loss in Lebanon and Iran
Watch: US Navy carry out strikes on ten Iranian military targets
Sunday 28 June 2026 19:30 , Amy-Clare MartinIsrael damaged heritage sites across south Lebanon, minister fears
Sunday 28 June 2026 19:00 , Amy-Clare MartinIsrael's campaign against Hezbollah has damaged or destroyed revered heritage sites across southern Lebanon, a minister has said.
Despite an interim ceasefire that took hold a week ago, authorities have yet to build a full picture of the damage as Israeli troops still occupy a zone about 10 km (6.2 miles) deep into Lebanon, according to Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salame.
That occupation zone includes the medieval Beaufort Castle as well as centuries-old villages that were home to Christians, Shi'ite Muslims and Sunni Muslims and their places of worship.
"There are villages that have been completely bulldozed," Salame said, adding that ancient towns outside the zone including Tyre and Nabatieh were damaged by air strikes. Heavy bombing hit the town of Tebnin, prompting fears that its Crusader fortress was also damaged, the minister added.
Israel's military told Reuters it does not aim to "cause excessive damage to civilian infrastructure and strikes only out of military necessity”. It said it took into account the existence of "sensitive sites".
Iran and US step up attacks and threaten to escalate
Sunday 28 June 2026 19:00 , Dan HaygarthIran launched missiles and drones at US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain early on Sunday, shortly after Donald Trump threatened to wipe out the Iranian leadership if they did not stick to the interim agreement to end their war.
Israel said on Sunday it had struck Iran-backed armed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon on Saturday, just a day after it agreed the latest ceasefire deal with Lebanon to calm fighting that Iran says must end if the wider agreement is to stick.
The US military said earlier it had struck Iran again, hours after a tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important energy shipping route, which Tehran has largely closed for most of the conflict.
"There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started," Trump said on social media.
"If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!" he added.
The 14-point interim peace accord was meant to halt the fighting.
