US-Iran ceasefire pact expires as tensions linger over Hormuz and sanctions
The US-Iran memorandum that halted fighting ends on Monday, with both sides accusing each other of breaches and showing little appetite to renew it.
The memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 by Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was designed to end more than three months of conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lay groundwork for a broader settlement on Iran’s nuclear programme and Lebanon. Both parties have repeatedly blamed the other for breaching the pact, and on Monday the agreement formally expires with no indication of renewal. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Telegram that Iran will not resume negotiations, while Qatar and Pakistan keep diplomatic channels open.
Tehran is pursuing a separate deal with Oman on new shipping routes, contingent on a political solution. In Washington, Trump declared intentions to claim the Hormuz waterway and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned of unprecedented measures, though analysts note the U.S. has limited military and economic options left. Experts say Iran now holds the upper hand and may demand broader concessions, including sanctions relief and regional issues such as Gaza and Israel’s nuclear status.
Why it matters
The lapse of the US-Iran ceasefire pact could reignite hostilities that threaten global oil supplies and regional stability.
How this story developed
- Jul 17 Trump's Iran conflict spirals as amateurs run war effort
- Aug 13 Trump publicly described the Hormuz blockade as "infallible" and reiterated the two‑option approach toward Iran.
- Aug 14 Democratic officials accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of lying about the dire conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln, where sailors faced supply shortages and a crew member fell overboard.
- Aug 14 Two Abu Dhabi National Oil Company tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the United States to warn it can sustain an indefinite naval blockade of Iran.
- Aug 14 Pakistan’s foreign ministry expressed optimism about reaching an agreement to reopen the strait.
- Aug 14 At a rally in Garden City, New York, Donald Trump announced plans to designate the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. territory, a statement that raised questions about a possible policy shift in the ongoing war with Iran.
- Aug 14 U.S. officials said the Navy can maintain a rotating blockade of Iran indefinitely.
- Aug 15 Treasury Secretary announced upcoming financial measures targeting Iran.
- Aug 15 A package of unprecedented economic actions against Iran is slated for announcement next week.
- Aug 15 An unnamed White House official described Trump’s claim to annex the strait as a joke.
- Aug 15 Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the Strait of Hormuz will remain under Iranian command until the United States accepts defeat.
- Aug 16 Iran and Oman move toward a bilateral accord outlining navigation routes for vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Aug 16 UAE cited UN Security Council resolution 2817 as being violated by the latest attack.
- Aug 16 Acting Navy secretary Hung Cao announced the carrier will be relieved soon.
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