Iran halts strikes as Trump gives space to talks

TEHRAN, July 27: Iran and the United States maintained a pause in hostilities on Monday, offering temporary relief to Gulf shipping and global oil markets after nearly two weeks of intensified fighting. While Washington signaled it was allowing diplomacy "some space," Tehran insisted it is not currently engaged in negotiations with the United States.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump was giving talks "a little bit of room" after a halt in recent military operations. Speaking to Fox News Sunday, Waltz said US forces remained "locked and loaded" but the administration was allowing diplomatic efforts an opportunity to progress.

The fighting, centered around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, had derailed earlier diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran, triggering a US air campaign and Iranian retaliatory attacks that expanded the conflict to shipping lanes, Gulf allies and military bases across the region.

Prior to Friday, US forces had conducted strikes on Iran for 13 consecutive nights, marking the largest escalation since an April ceasefire ended months of relative calm. However, no US bombing raids were reported on Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights.

Iran's army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia confirmed that Tehran had also halted its retaliatory operations.

"Since our strategy has essentially been retaliatory, we have also halted our retaliatory operations," Akraminia said.

Despite the lull, tensions remain high. Unconfirmed Iranian media reports on Sunday claimed an oil tanker had been damaged by a sea mine, while fighting continued to spread elsewhere in the region.

"Mediators may convey messages from the American side to us regarding current developments in the region. But at present, we are not engaged in any negotiations with the United States," Foreign Ministry spokesman EsmaeilBaqaei told a weekly press briefing.

He dismissed reports suggesting Iran had requested talks as "fabrications that the other side circulates from time to time."

Baqaei also criticized Washington, saying its recent conduct had "resembled that of a mafia gang that adheres to no rules or laws."

"So long as such behaviour by the United States continues, we cannot be hopeful about the emergence of a reasonable process," he said.

The spokesman stressed that ongoing discussions with Oman over the administration of the Strait of Hormuz were unrelated to the United States.

"These talks have no connection with the United States. They are a bilateral matter between Iran and Oman, and they are continuing," Baqaei said, adding that the strategically vital waterway "remains closed."�"AFP