US Pause on Iran Strikes Holds as Diplomacy Gains Space
The United States refrained from striking Iran for a second night, sustaining a pause that has opened the first real space for diplomacy in a fortnight of war. Iran again reported “a peaceful night”, and both sides indicated they were exchanging messages through mediators. President Trump’s envoy to the United Nations said the President was giving peace talks “some space”.
American commanders had signalled that their list of targets threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz was near exhaustion, and Oman has been mediating over reopening the strait. A senior Iranian source suggested Tehran would hold its fire so long as Washington did the same. Yet the United States kept moving military assets into the region, and Israel’s prime minister insisted the war would end only if Iran’s government fell or surrendered its nuclear programme. The truce, such as it is, remains fragile and unwritten. Watch whether the pause survives the weekend and hardens into talks.