IRAN TIES MILITARY PAUSE TO U.S. STRIKE SUSPENSION Iran will suspend its military operations as long as the United States maintains its pause in air strikes, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, following President Donald Trump’s decision to halt a two-week bombing campaign. After 13 consecutive nights of U.S. strikes, Washington has now gone two days without launching new attacks. Iran, which had responded to each wave of U.S. strikes by targeting neighbouring countries hosting American military bases, has also refrained from retaliatory operations during the same period. According to the Iranian official, Tehran’s position remains based on “attack for attack”: if U.S. military action resumes, Iran is prepared to launch a broad response. While Washington says the pause is intended to create space for diplomacy, Iranian officials remain deeply sceptical, describing the move as likely tactical rather than a genuine shift in U.S. policy. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Trump wants to give negotiations an opportunity, though no further details were provided. Meanwhile, reports from The New York Times, CNN and Axios suggest Trump halted planned strikes after advisers raised concerns over missile defence stockpiles and the risks of further escalation. The temporary lull comes as tensions remain high across the region, with the Houthis expanding attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and energy markets continuing to react to uncertainty surrounding the conflict.(*Walter Bloomberg)