US Pauses Strikes, Iran Sets Condition for Trump
Iran has opened the door to easing its conflict with the United States after Washington temporarily halted its air strikes. However, Tehran has stressed that the cessation of attacks will only continue if President Donald Trump’s administration does not resume the bombing.
“Iran’s position remains ‘attack is met with attack’. If the attacks stop, Iran will also halt its operations. That message has been conveyed to the United States,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity on Sunday (26/7/2029).
The statement came after the Pentagon paused its bombing campaign against Iran on Friday night. Over the past two days, no US air strikes have been reported. Iran also refrained from launching retaliatory attacks on neighbouring countries hosting US military bases, following 13 consecutive nights of mutual strikes.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Trump deliberately suspended military operations to create space for diplomacy. “He is giving room for talks, he is giving a little leeway,” Waltz said in an interview.
Behind the decision, several US officials revealed that the nearly two-week military operation had exhausted most of the previously designated targets. Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine was also said to have warned Trump that continuing major strikes risked depleting ammunition supplies, including interceptor missiles used by US air defence systems in the Middle East. However, Caine’s office and US Central Command declined to comment.
In a separate interview, Waltz insisted that US combat capabilities remain adequate. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth inherited depleted weapons stockpiles when he took office in the Trump administration. “The US military has everything it needs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tehran does not yet fully believe the halt in strikes marks a shift in Washington’s stance. A senior Iranian source said the government views Trump’s move more as a tactical manoeuvre than a sincere peace effort. “There is more scepticism than optimism. The prevailing view is that the halt is tactical, not genuine. Iran has bitter experience with what it considers American deception,” the source said.
Reports from several US media outlets indicate the decision to stop the bombing was made after Trump received input from senior military and political advisers. CNN reported that Vice President JD Vance raised objections to the continuation of operations, while Axios stated that Commander of US Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper recommended halting the strikes because the military campaign’s effectiveness was deemed to have reached its limit.
Although the strikes have temporarily ceased, uncertainty still shrouds Iran. Nader, an import-export businessman in Tehran, admitted he is not yet convinced the pause in the conflict will last. “Everyone in this country is trapped in uncertainty. Trump is playing games with Iran. He is not ending the war and leaving the region, but he is also not launching a decisive attack. This is exhausting,” he said.