Iran has signalled that it is prepared to halt its military operations if the United States does the same, following a temporary pause in Washington’s airstrike campaign ordered by President Donald Trump.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran’s position remains based on an “attack for attack” approach, adding that Iran will cease its operations if the US stops its attacks. The official said the message had already been conveyed to Washington.
The development comes after the Pentagon suspended its bombing campaign late Friday, ending 13 consecutive nights of airstrikes. No US attacks were reported over the weekend, while Iran also refrained from launching retaliatory strikes for two straight days.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Trump decided to pause the military campaign to create space for diplomacy and allow negotiations to continue.
According to US officials, military advisers had warned that the list of pre-selected targets had largely been exhausted after two weeks of strikes aimed at deterring Iranian threats in the Strait of Hormuz. They also raised concerns that continuing the operation could further deplete America’s stockpile of precision-guided munitions and missile interceptors.
Although military action remains an option, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reportedly cautioned Trump about the risks of resuming large-scale operations, particularly the impact on US military resources. The Pentagon and US Central Command declined to comment on the reports.
Despite the pause, Iranian officials remain sceptical about Washington’s intentions. A senior source said Tehran believes the suspension may only be a tactical move rather than a genuine shift towards diplomacy, citing what it described as previous experiences of US “deception.”
Over the past two weeks, the conflict has seen US forces target Iran in response to attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran retaliated by striking water desalination facilities in neighbouring Gulf countries that host US military bases.
The latest pause has left many Iranians uncertain about what comes next. A Tehran businessman told Reuters that people remain anxious, saying the country is “stuck in limbo” as they wait to see whether the fighting will resume or diplomatic efforts will succeed.
