ABD and İran Agree to Halt Mutual Attacks, Negotiations Moved to Doha

The Amerika Birleşik Devletleri and İran have taken a significant diplomatic step by agreeing to halt attacks following the recent escalation of mutual military tension. The two countries plan to meet on Salı in Doha, the capital of Katar, to resolve the disputes surrounding the Hürmüz Boğazı. According to Axios, citing senior ABD officials, it was confirmed that this agreement was reached to de-escalate tensions between the parties. ABD officials stated that the decision to halt all military attacks has been finalized. During this technical negotiation process, it was announced that both sides would militarily withdraw and international ship traffic in the Hürmüz Boğazı would be freed again.

The negotiations to be held in Doha were initially planned to convene in İsviçre and focus on İran's nuclear program. However, recent military clashes and rising tension in the region caused the location of the talks to be changed. The agenda of the diplomatic contacts shifted from nuclear issues to the Hürmüz Boğazı matter, which has become a more urgent crisis. Nick Stewart, who heads the ABD technical delegation, is also expected to attend the talks. This situation demonstrates how seriously Washington approaches the negotiations at a technical level and the importance it places on regional security. It is evaluated that the primary goal of the delegation will be to ensure the security of the strategic waterway, which is the heart of global oil trade.

Why the previous talks planned to be held in İsviçre were canceled is also among the details that have emerged. Mehdi Fezaeili, a member of the Office for the Preservation and Publication of İran Dini Lideri's Works, announced that the İranian technical negotiation delegation did not attend the meetings in İsviçre and that the process was canceled. According to Fezaeili's statements, İran refused to attend the meeting due to the recent clashes and demanded that the other party fulfill certain conditions for Tahran to return to the talks. Among the conditions put forward by İran, the issue of accessing İran's frozen assets abroad particularly stands out. This situation reveals that the dispute between the two countries has not only military, but also economic and legal dimensions.

In previous reports by Wall Street Journal, it was suggested that the ABD-İran talks, planned to resume in İsviçre, were postponed due to rising tensions and renewed attacks. It was reported that the recent military clashes negatively affected the diplomatic process and officials suspended the talks without setting a clear date for the continuation of contacts. However, the agreement to halt attacks reached in Doha shows that the complete collapse of the process has been prevented. This development signals that both parties are inclined to return to the table rather than escalate the conflict once again. This diplomatic return, which is also encouraged by regional and global actors, currently reduces the likelihood of a new war breaking out in the Middle East.

The Hürmüz Boğazı is considered one of the world's most critical strategic waterways, through which a large portion of global oil and natural gas supply passes. For this reason, any military movement or cessation of ship traffic in the strait directly causes price increases and economic concerns in global energy markets. The agreement between the ABD and İran to reduce tension in the strait has created great relief for the security of international trade. How the technical details of the Doha negotiations will take shape and whether progress will be made on the resolution of assets will become clear in the coming days. All these developments prove once again that the search for diplomatic solutions in a fragile region follows a highly dynamic and variable course. The global public opinion expects the two countries to make this ceasefire decision permanent and to achieve regional stability.