President Donald Trump said the United States is in "very deep talks with Iran" during a multi-day pause in military strikes, but warned that he is prepared for "strong military action" if diplomacy fails and will not grant negotiations much time [1][2][17]. Trump told Axios that "not much time" remains for a breakthrough and told reporters the US is "locked and loaded and ready to go, but we're talking to them" [13][17]. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Trump decided to pause attacks to give "some space" to negotiations, with Oman, Iran, and other negotiators engaged "at every level" over the past few weeks [6][22][29].
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei rejected the assertion that direct US-Iran negotiations are underway, calling such claims a US "invention" and stating that Tehran's focus remains on defense [25][33]. Baghaei said the only ongoing talks are bilateral discussions with Oman regarding management of the Strait of Hormuz, focused on "common principles and operational mechanisms" for ensuring safe passage of shipping while respecting sovereign rights [16][31]. An Omani delegation was in Tehran on Friday and Saturday for talks that Baghaei described as productive [14][20].
Iranian Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia said Iran halted its retaliatory strikes because the US stopped its attacks, framing the pause as a mirrored and conditional military posture rather than a goodwill gesture [13][15][18]. "Our strategy has essentially been retaliatory, we have also halted our retaliatory operations," Akraminia said [31]. He warned that if the US continues air strikes, the war will expand geographically [28]. Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters assessed the US naval blockade as an expansion of the war, and Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran rejected a US proposal to keep the Strait of Hormuz open until negotiations conclude [14]. Armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi said Iran has made comprehensive preparations for scenarios ranging from renewed airstrikes to ground operations [6].
The pause followed private warnings from senior US military officials. Admiral Bradley Cooper, the top US military commander in the region, told Trump the campaign had reached the limits of its effectiveness and the target list was nearly exhausted [13][32]. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine warned Trump of the risks of a renewed military campaign, citing strain on US munitions stockpiles, while Vice President JD Vance separately warned of the risks of renewed military action [6][13]. An unnamed US official reported that military officials cautioned that resuming large-scale operations carries risks due to depleted munitions [6]. An unnamed Iranian official independently assessed the pause as tactical rather than a genuine shift in the US negotiating position [6]. Trump dismissed reports of low ammunition, stating the US has "a lot of ammunition... more than we could ever use" [26]. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly asserted the US military has "more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump's strategic goals and beyond" [26].
Oil prices fell after the pause. Brent crude dropped more than 9% to $87.59 per barrel, and WTI fell 6.5% to $83.51 [5][15]. The Mexican peso appreciated 0.21% against the dollar amid reduced risk aversion [10]. Analyst Kathleen Brooks of XTB Trading Group said the situation "has not been resolved," making a decline below $85 per barrel difficult [7]. Analyst Ole Hvalbye of SEB Research noted there is "no signed framework, no verification mechanism and no agreed timeline" and that a political pause "does not put a single extra barrel on the water" [9][29]. Helima Croft of RBC Capital Markets said she does not believe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will normalize quickly [19]. Barclays analysts reported that flows through the strait remain subdued, with crude and refined product net exports averaging 2.9 million barrels a day compared to 5.9 million the previous week [27].
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the conflict with Iran will end only when the Iranian government is toppled or its nuclear program terminated, regardless of any deal [6]. Netanyahu "fully" backed Trump's efforts while warning Iran against attacking Israel [22]. Chinese analyst Qin Tian assessed that Netanyahu's visit to Washington aimed to push the US toward escalation rather than diplomacy [6].
In the US Congress, the House narrowly passed a non-binding resolution to halt military action in Iran, while the Senate rejected a similar binding measure [34][35]. Representative Gregory Meeks said Congress is starting to join the 70% of American people against the war [35]. Representative Pramila Jayapal noted that even MAGA voters are skeptical, as they liked when Trump talked about ending forever wars [35]. Senator John Kennedy argued that voting to "cut and run" would damage American credibility [36]. A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed only one-third of Americans approve of the war, with 69% saying Trump has not clearly stated the intervention's goals [30]. The White House dismissed the poll, with spokesperson Olivia Wales stating Trump will not make decisions based on fluctuating numbers and the goal remains preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons [30].
An unnamed US official told Axios that sanctions may ultimately cause more damage to the Iranian regime than bombings, citing intelligence indicating Iranians prioritize relief from sanctions over an end to bombing [23]. Iran's economy has shifted from chronic stagnation to genuine crisis, according to former presidential advisor Masoud Nili, with economist Mohammad-Mehdi Behkish estimating roughly $500 billion is needed for reconstruction and modernization [21]. Tehran residents described collapsed business and unaffordable rents, with a bazaar vendor saying "the conflict must end for the situation to improve" [20].
Yemen's Houthis continued to claim strikes on Saudi oil facilities and pipelines throughout the pause period, including attacks on the East-West crude oil pipeline connecting eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu [9][14]. Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted drones launched from Iraq targeting oil facilities, and the Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks and asserted the right to respond [8][9]. Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi condemned Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan as "war crimes" requiring accountability [47]. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the attacks a flagrant violation of sovereignty [47].
ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric Egger warned that deliberate or indiscriminate attacks on vital infrastructure can constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law [38]. A US strike on a desalination plant in Jask disrupted drinking water for approximately 10,000 people, according to Abdolhamid Hamzepour, director of the Water and Wastewater Company of Hormozgan Province [40]. International Maritime Organization secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez called elevated maritime insurance costs a matter of great concern, while the International Union of Marine Insurers pushed back, stating prices reflect real risk [37].
The US and Iran entered a fourth day without direct military exchanges as Omani-mediated discussions on the Strait of Hormuz continued [8][31]. Trump reiterated that talks are pressing ahead and Tehran faces a choice between a deal and strikes "at a much higher level" [28].