The United States paused its attacks on Iran for a second consecutive day on Sunday, while Tehran said it had also halted its strikes, as efforts continued to bring the two sides back to negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal that has been badly undermined by recent exchanges of fire.
It remained unclear why the US paused its attacks after nearly two weeks of escalation that saw it target Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure following Iran’s firing on ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions on Sunday.
“President (Donald) Trump has always been consistent in saying he prefers a diplomatic solution, but he continues to retain all options if Iran continues terrorist activities in the Strait of Hormuz or against allies,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said.
“It would be wise for Iran to work toward a negotiated deal. Otherwise, they know what will happen,” he added.
Iran also halted attacks for the past two nights, an Iranian army spokesperson told state television on Sunday. Tehran has in recent days launched counterattacks against countries in the region that host US military forces, killing at least three people at a base in Jordan.
The status of mediation efforts by Pakistan, Qatar and other countries was not immediately clear as concerns persisted over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and another key waterway, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait leading to the Red Sea. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen threatened last week to block Saudi shipping there.
Global energy supplies and the economy remain at risk as gasoline prices have risen again.
Iran said Sunday that it was continuing talks with Oman on ensuring the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which lies between the two countries. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the talks had made progress and were continuing.
Baghaei also said there had been no change in the status of the strait. Tehran has maintained that the interim agreement with the US allows it to manage shipping through the waterway for now. It has also opposed US efforts to support a shipping route through the strait that passes close to Oman.
The US military said Saturday that its recently reinstated naval blockade against Iran remained in place. It said a dozen commercial ships had been redirected, two disabled and two boarded.
US forces “remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready,” the military said.
The 60-day period that began after the interim agreement was signed by the two countries in mid-June is now well into its second half. Major issues that were supposed to be negotiated, particularly Iran’s nuclear program at the center of the tensions, remain unresolved as mediators work to keep both sides engaged in talks.
A regional official involved in the mediation said diplomacy was continuing and described the pause in US and Iranian strikes as a “positive signal that helps their efforts to de-escalate.”
The official said both countries wanted to return to the interim ceasefire agreement and that a compromise under discussion focused on allowing Iran to manage vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz with fewer restrictions on ships. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations publicly.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to the United States and meet with Trump in Washington on Tuesday, his office said.
The two last met in Washington in February, weeks before they launched the war against Iran, which killed senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran-backed Hezbollah fired at Israel two days after the war began, prompting Israel to respond with airstrikes and ground forces in southern Lebanon.
Since then, the US has backed landmark direct talks between Lebanon and Israel aimed at easing tensions on that front and finding a way to disarm Hezbollah.