After nearly two weeks of military confrontation, the US-Iran conflict entered a second day of cautious calm on Saturday, with airstrikes suspended and a limited diplomatic opening emerging between the two sides.
Washington said negotiations would be given a chance, while Tehran announced it had halted retaliatory attacks against countries in the region following the pause in US strikes.
However, both sides warned that military escalation could resume if diplomatic efforts fail.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump was allowing negotiations with Iran “some space” and “a little room,” while stressing that Washington remains prepared for further military action if necessary.
Waltz said the United States is still “ready” to launch additional strikes and confirmed that more military resources have been deployed to the region.
Iranian military spokesman Mohammad Akrami Nia said the United States had stopped its attacks over the past two nights, adding that Tehran had also suspended its retaliatory operations as part of its response strategy.
The temporary halt followed reports that Trump had ordered a pause in US strikes to allow diplomatic efforts led by Oman to resume, particularly over reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The pause came after 13 days of intense military exchanges, during which both sides traded attacks and threats, raising concerns over wider regional escalation.
While the current calm has created a narrow opportunity for negotiations, Washington and Tehran continue to signal that the situation remains fragile and could deteriorate if talks fail to produce progress.
