Iran will reportedly pause attacks if U.S. maintains halt to air strikes

Iran will reportedly stop its attacks as long as the United States continues its current pause on air strikes after President Donald Trump unexpectedly paused a bombing campaign that had lasted nearly two weeks.

The pause follows 13 consecutive nights of U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, with the Pentagon halting the operation late on Friday. No U.S. attacks have been reported since, marking the first two-day break in the campaign.

The Reuters reported citing a senior Iranian official said that “Iran’s position remains ‘attack for attack’: if the attacks stop, Iran will also halt its operations. That message has already been conveyed ​to the United States.”

The U.S. military had earlier said that its naval blockade of Iran remained fully operational but did not explain the pause in airstrikes. A senior Trump administration official said diplomacy remained the president’s preference, though Iran had been shown the consequences of refusing serious negotiations.

Iran also refrained from attacking neighbouring countries on Saturday, creating a temporary lull in Gulf fighting.

Seperately U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said that U.S. President Donald Trump has paused military attacks on Iran to create space for diplomatic efforts.

Waltz told Fox News on Sunday that Trump is giving negotiations room to progress. The ambassador did not provide additional details about the nature of the diplomatic discussions.

The Pentagon has halted bombing operations following 13 consecutive nights of increasing strikes. No attacks by Iran on neighboring countries were reported over the weekend.

Trump has reportedly stepped back from plans to intensify the campaign amid concerns about widening the conflict, draining U.S. defence stockpiles, alienating Gulf allies and disrupting global energy supplies.

Tensions shifted towards the Red Sea after Iran-aligned Houthi forces attacked Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu.

Video footage showed smoke rising near the Jizan refinery, which can process up to 400,000 barrels daily. Two missiles targeting Yanbu were intercepted by a U.S.-made Patriot system operated by Greek forces.

Yanbu has become a key export route for Saudi oil, avoiding the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. A sustained Houthi campaign could now threaten a second major energy and commercial shipping corridor.

Saudi-backed Yemeni forces responded by striking Houthi launch sites and weapons depots in Marib and al-Jawf. Both sides were reportedly mobilising troops, raising fears that Yemen’s civil war could resume after a ceasefire dating from 2022.

The Houthis have declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and previously attacked two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea.

Another front emerged in the Caspian Sea, where Iran accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel. An explosion killed one sailor and injured another.

Washington and Tehran remain in talks, though Trump said Iran was not yet ready for an agreement. The U.S. blockade and threats against Red Sea energy infrastructure leave global oil supplies exposed despite the temporary pause in direct attacks.