US intercepts Iranian drones in Strait of Hormuz amid peace deal progress
The United States says it intercepted multiple Iranian drones in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, shortly after both sides said a peace agreement was moving closer to completion. The incident took place in one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, where commercial shipping carries a large share of Gulf energy exports. US Central Command said the drones were aimed at commercial vessels and that all of them were shot down.
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The command said the attack drones were launched in the early hours of 13 June and that traffic through the strait continued without interruption. It said the waterway remained open to navigation, despite the attempted strike. The timing is notable because it came only hours after officials in Washington and Tehran described the draft agreement as nearing completion, although key differences remained unresolved.
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said a final understanding would only be possible once all outstanding issues were settled. Those issues reportedly include the fate of enriched uranium and a proposed US$24 billion payment, with Washington insisting that Iran dismantle parts of its nuclear programme before any transfer. Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said the final text had been completed, while a US official was quoted as estimating an 85% chance of signature.
The episode matters because the Strait of Hormuz is central to global shipping and energy security. Any military activity there can quickly affect commercial confidence, insurance costs and regional risk calculations, even if vessels are not physically blocked. The fact that the drones were described as targeting commercial ships adds to the sensitivity of the moment, particularly while diplomatic talks are still active.
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The reported interception also fits into a broader pattern of intermittent negotiations and military pressure. According to the supplied material, the talks between Tehran and Washington have been mediated by Pakistan and have unfolded alongside threats and exchanges of attacks, despite a fragile ceasefire reached in April. That makes the latest drone incident both a security event and a test of whether the diplomatic track can survive continued confrontation at sea.
The Strait of Hormuz has long been a strategic flashpoint because of its role in the movement of oil and gas from the Gulf. The supplied reporting says the route had been closed after earlier US and Israeli strikes in February, before the current push to reopen it as part of a wider arrangement. The proposed sequence would separate immediate de-escalation from later nuclear negotiations, which is one reason the talks have drawn close attention from regional and global actors.
The latest statements also show that the two sides are still presenting different versions of what has been agreed. Iranian state media has described the negotiations in terms that do not fully match Washington's account, while Iranian officials have stressed that internal review is still under way. That leaves the status of the draft deal uncertain, even as both governments publicly signal progress.
What remains unclear is whether the drone incident will affect the pace of the talks, whether the remaining disputes can be resolved, and when any signing might take place. It is also not yet clear whether the reported agreement would be signed in person or remotely, or how the parties would handle the question of control over traffic through the strait. The next developments to watch are any further official statements from Washington, Tehran and Islamabad, and whether shipping in the area remains unaffected.
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Pakistan's prime minister says the United States and Iran have agreed on the wording of a draft deal to end their war, marking what he described as a breakthrough in the talks. Shehbaz Sharif said a "final, agreed upon text" had been reached and that mediators were now working to complete the process. He said peace had "never been this close", while also warning that misinformation was being used to try to derail the agreement.
The reported progress comes after days of strikes involving Iran, the US and Israel, which have raised fears of a wider regional conflict. US President Donald Trump has said a deal was close, and reposted comments from Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi saying an agreement had "never been closer". Iranian officials, however, have stressed that the text is still under internal review and that no final decision has been taken.
The draft is said to focus on ending the war and stabilising the region, with nuclear talks to follow later. Araghchi has said the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's frozen assets are part of the proposed arrangement, while Iranian state television has suggested a memorandum of understanding could be signed in the coming days. A foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said Iran was still in the final internal review stages, underlining that the process has not yet been completed.
The stakes are high because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes and any agreement affecting access to it would have implications far beyond the immediate conflict. The reported sequence, in which a ceasefire-style deal comes before wider nuclear negotiations, suggests the parties are trying to separate urgent de-escalation from longer-term disputes. That could matter for regional security, energy flows and the wider diplomatic balance involving the US, Iran and neighbouring states.
Pakistan's role as mediator is also significant. Sharif's comments indicate that Islamabad has been involved in intensive efforts to bridge the remaining gaps, alongside other regional contacts referenced in the reporting. The involvement of Pakistan, together with public remarks from both Washington and Tehran, suggests the talks have moved from private exploration to a more visible diplomatic phase.
What remains unclear is the final wording of the deal, whether the reported differences can be resolved, and when any signing might take place. Iranian officials have said the agreement may be signed remotely and not in Geneva, but that has not been confirmed publicly. The key question now is whether the draft can be turned into a binding arrangement while military tensions remain high and the next phase of nuclear talks is still ahead.
The United States and Iran have signalled that an agreement to end their war may be close, even as military activity continued around the Strait of Hormuz. A senior US administration official said both sides had agreed on a text and that Washington expects to sign an initial deal in the coming days. Hours later, US forces shot down multiple Iranian one-way attack drones heading toward the waterway, which is one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes.
A source familiar with the matter said the drones posed a threat to commercial traffic. US Central Command later confirmed the action and said the waterway was open for transit. Iranian news agencies reported explosions along the strait in Sirik port and on Qeshm island, with residents and local officials saying Iranian forces had fired warning shots at vessels attempting to cross without permission from the Revolutionary Guards' navy.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the tentative agreement showed his country had emerged stronger from the conflict. He said changes were still possible, but described Iran as the winner of the war with the US. The US official said the draft met President Donald Trump's core objectives and put negotiations in a very good place, although the administration has not publicly detailed the full text.
The proposed memorandum of understanding would reopen the strait and lift the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, according to sources on all sides of the talks. Negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme would take place afterwards. That sequence matters because the Strait of Hormuz has long been a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments, and the report said it handled one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supply before the war.
The latest developments come after the strait was closed following US and Israeli strikes in February, according to the report. The draft terms described by Western, Pakistani and Iranian sources appear to give Tehran much of what it has sought, prompting criticism from Mr Trump, who dismissed some of the reporting as inaccurate. Mr Araqchi also said Iran, together with Oman, would retain control of traffic through the strait, underlining the political sensitivity of any reopening arrangement.
What remains unclear is the final wording of the deal, whether the reported differences in the draft will be resolved, and when any signing could take place. A Western source said the agreement could be signed as soon as Sunday by US Vice President JD Vance, but that has not been confirmed publicly. The immediate question is whether the ceasefire-style arrangement can hold while the sides move on to nuclear talks and while shipping through the strait remains under close military scrutiny.
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