Iran halts retaliatory strikes

The Iranian military has said it will halt retaliatory strikes on US allies in the Gulf for as long as President Donald Trump holds off on attacking the country.

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PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the US, after 13 days of consistent attacks on both military and civilian infrastructure in Tehran, abruptly suspended strikes. Both countries have not exchanged strikes since Saturday, the first time in 13 days.

The US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, told Fox News on Sunday that the president had decided to reconsider diplomatic negotiations.

He said Mr Trump was “giving talks some space; he’s giving it a little bit of room.”

In response to this, Iran’s army spokesman, Mohammad Akraminia, said the country will also be suspending strikes which in the past 13 days have primarily targeted Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.

“These attacks continued until two nights ago, but over the past two nights the Americans have stopped their attacks,” Mr Akraminia said.

“Since… our strategy has essentially been retaliatory, we have also halted our retaliatory operations,” he said.

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Reuters also quoted an Iranian official who reiterated that Tehran’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 countries resumed tit-for-tat attacks earlier in the month due to disagreement over control of the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic waterway has been at the heart of the war since February.

The countries halted military operations and agreed to reopen the strait in mid-June. However, Iran’s attack on tankers in Hormuz and the US’s retaliatory strikes in early July reignited tension.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, earlier disclosed that the country held several rounds of talks on Friday and Saturday to discuss the waterway’s management.

However, when Mr Waltz was asked if Mr Trump had completely decided against escalation of the war, he said, “I wouldn’t go that far at all. The president is keeping all options on the table.”