The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 establishing a 60-day extension to their ceasefire framework and creating a formal window to negotiate a permanent end to hostilities, including Iran's nuclear program.
The signing came after months of direct conflict between Iran and Israel. Qatar and Pakistan played critical roles as mediators in shuttle diplomacy that kept the talks alive through multiple near-collapses.
On June 7 and 8, Israel and Iran exchanged what CNN described as 'the worst strikes in months,' nearly derailing the deal entirely. Israel struck Hezbollah targets in Beirut in the hours before the expected signing, and Iran made operational preparations to launch a strike on Israeli territory before backing down under diplomatic pressure from Washington, Doha, and Islamabad.
Iran struck Kuwait's international airport during the conflict period, killing one person and injuring more than 60, an incident that complicated negotiations but did not ultimately prevent them.
The Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blockaded during the conflict, remains a central focus of the 60-day negotiating window. Approximately 20 per cent of the world's traded oil passes through the strait, and its closure drove significant pressure on global energy markets. An agreement in principle to work toward reopening it was part of the ceasefire framework.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to down-blend its stockpile of highly enriched uranium under international monitoring within the 60-day window.
As of mid-June, implementation of the Hormuz agreement had already been delayed. Both governments acknowledged the ceasefire remained fragile.
