Pakistan and Qatar intensify mediation amid pause in US-Iran attacks

No new attacks by the United States or Iran were reported for a second consecutive night, as Pakistan and Qatar intensified mediation efforts to de-escalate the conflict between Washington and Tehran. According to monitoring by Anadolu, no explosions or US air strikes were reported on Iranian territory as of early Sunday, following a similarly quiet previous night. The pause comes after nearly two weeks of American strikes, which US Central Command (CENTCOM) said targeted military infrastructure, coastal surveillance systems, missile and drone facilities, naval assets, and logistics centres in Iran. Iranian military spokesman Amir Mohammad Akraminia stated that Tehran’s strategy is based on the principle of ‘deterrence through retaliation’, meaning Iran’s military response depends on American actions. ‘In the last two nights, America stopped its attacks, so Iran’s retaliatory operations also stopped,’ Akraminia was quoted as saying by Iranian media. He stressed that the halt in Iranian military operations was a response to the cessation of US strikes, not the result of a broader de-escalation agreement. Iran’s Health Ministry reported on Thursday that at least 57 people were killed and 629 others injured in the latest wave of US attacks. Pakistani government sources told Anadolu that Islamabad and Doha are now intensifying the exchange of messages between the United States and Iran. The move follows both sides’ responses to a joint formula proposed by the mediators to end the months-long conflict. This week, Pakistan and Qatar proposed a joint de-escalation formula urging Washington and Tehran to return to their pre-9 July positions as a first step towards resuming peace talks. An official familiar with the discussions said the proposal aims to reopen negotiations for a permanent resolution to the conflict. Iran confirmed it has received the proposal from both mediators and is studying it, while asserting its continued commitment to the diplomatic track despite the ongoing exchange of fire. Washington and Tehran had previously signed a memorandum of understanding in June containing a ceasefire agreement brokered by Pakistan and Qatar. However, President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire over on 8 July following renewed military escalation. The United States demands that Iran halt attacks on commercial vessels and guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran insists that ship traffic in the strategic strait must be regulated through a mechanism it manages. On Saturday, Trump ordered the US military not to launch new strikes against Iran, ending nearly two weeks of daily attacks, according to an Axios report citing sources familiar with the decision.