The United States and Iran have paused strikes for a third consecutive night as efforts continue to create room for diplomacy, BBC News reported, citing the US ambassador to the UN.
Mike Waltz told Fox News on Sunday that President Donald Trump was allowing talks additional space. An Iranian army spokesperson also said Tehran had stopped “retaliatory” attacks in the region in response.
The pause comes after almost two weeks of daily US strikes and reciprocal attacks, which BBC News reported had effectively weakened a ceasefire agreed in June. Oil prices fell below $90 a barrel on Monday morning after reaching $100 last week for the first time since May.
Asked on NBC whether Mr Trump had decided against further escalation, Mr Waltz said he would not characterise it that way and that the president was keeping all options available. He also rejected a New York Times report that officials had warned wider hostilities could strain US air defence munitions, saying the military had what it needed for the campaign.
Speaking to CBS, Mr Waltz said the coming days would be important and added that more US military assets were moving into the region. As of Monday, Mr Trump had not spoken publicly about the latest developments, though he had posted computer-generated images on Truth Social showing US military aircraft bombing Iranian ships and Kharg island.
According to BBC News, the US said its 13 consecutive nights of strikes were intended to reduce Iran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran and Oman held technical talks in Tehran on Friday and Saturday on managing the strait.
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz has been a central issue in renewed US-Iran tensions. Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding in June to stop military operations, reopen the strait and seek a wider agreement to end the war within 60 days.
BBC News reported that the US resumed airstrikes and reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports after Iranian forces attacked tankers in the strait on 13 July. Iran responded with attacks on US military facilities and bases across the Middle East, killing four American soldiers. Iran’s health ministry says dozens of people have been killed by US strikes.
In the UK, new Defence Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC he would meet US counterpart Pete Hegseth in the coming week to discuss the strait. He said the UK and US were aligned on protecting maritime freedom and commercial shipping in the area.
A CBS/YouGov poll cited by BBC News suggested 57% of Americans are frustrated about the conflict and 19% are optimistic. Official figures cited by BBC News say thousands have been killed across the Middle East since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February, most of them in Iran and Lebanon.
Mr Trump is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday.
