Trump pauses Iran bombings to negotiate a deal

Trump orders a pause in bombings to negotiate

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he ordered a halt to the bombings against Iran to allow for a negotiation that would end the conflict. The president said he is “in very deep conversations” with Tehran, although he warned that he will resume the attacks if the talks fail.

According to his explanation, the decision to stop the attacks was made on the previous Friday, after U.S. allies in the Middle East, acting as mediators in the conflict, asked him directly. The last round of U.S. bombings had taken place on Thursday, the thirteenth consecutive day of attacks since the June ceasefire was broken.

Trump was scheduled to meet on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a meeting that takes place alongside diplomatic efforts. Mediators led by Qatar and Pakistan are working to bring the positions of Washington and Tehran closer. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei clarified that there are no direct negotiations between the two countries, but that mediators transmit messages between the parties.

Tensions persist across the region

Despite the announced pause, the situation on the ground remains delicate. Iran and Oman held talks on safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, although the maritime route remains closed to commercial traffic. The naval blockade that the United States maintains against Iran also remains in effect: so far, 17 commercial vessels have been redirected, two were disabled, and two others were boarded by U.S. forces.

Other conflict flashpoints remain active in the region. Saudi Arabia claimed to have shot down drones belonging to Iran-backed militias in Iraqi territory, while Yemen’s Houthis claimed an attack on Saudi oil targets. These episodes show that, beyond the pause between Washington and Tehran, the regional landscape remains marked by multiple simultaneous tensions that could complicate any diplomatic progress in the coming days.