US suspends Iran strikes as diplomatic breakthrough looms on conflict day 105
Tehran’s leadership reviews a proposed memorandum of understanding while tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz, where US forces intercepted Iranian drones and Iran declared the waterway closed.
US President Donald Trump has cancelled planned military strikes on Iran on the 105th day of the conflict, marking a significant shift in strategy following earlier threats to target Kharg Island and other critical oil facilities. Speaking from the Oval Office, the President stated that negotiations with Tehran were close to producing a breakthrough, describing the potential outcome as a "great settlement" that could be finalised and signed as early as the weekend.
The decision to halt a third consecutive night of attacks came just hours after Trump had warned that Iran would be hit "very hard" if it did not comply with US demands. According to reporting from Tehran by Al Jazeera, a senior Iranian official confirmed that the country’s top leadership was actively reviewing a proposed memorandum of understanding with the United States, suggesting that diplomatic channels remain open despite the escalation in military rhetoric.
Concurrent with the announcement of the strike halt, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz intensified. US forces intercepted two Iranian one-way attack drones near the strategic waterway on Thursday, hours after the President’s address. The intercept occurred against a backdrop of heightened hostility, including Trump’s accusation on Tuesday that Iran had shot down a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter over the strait the previous Monday night, a claim for which he vowed a response.
In response to the ongoing conflict, Iran’s military command announced on Thursday that it would target any ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, effectively declaring the waterway closed to all vessel traffic. This declaration followed previous Iranian strikes on two vessels attempting to pass through the route. However, US Central Command disputed the closure, stating that commercial ships continue to transit the strait despite the Iranian threats.
The diplomatic developments follow a meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where discussions covered trade, artificial intelligence, and the security of the Strait of Hormuz. While 22 countries have expressed concern or taken action regarding the security of the waterway, the immediate focus remains on whether the proposed memorandum of understanding will lead to a formal agreement, with Trump indicating that documents are expected to be finalised in Europe by the weekend.
