Iran Signals Halt to Attacks Amid U.S. Pause in Airstrikes

An Iranian official has indicated that Tehran will cease its retaliatory attacks as long as the United States upholds its current pause in military strikes, according to a Reuters report. The conditional de-escalation follows a 13-night U.S. bombing campaign that had heightened geopolitical tensions and pushed global energy prices to multi-month highs.

A Conditional Pause in Hostilities

The Pentagon suspended its air campaign against Iran late on Friday, with no further attacks reported over the weekend. In a direct response, a senior Iranian official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, said that Iran's policy is "attack for attack" and confirmed operations would halt if the U.S. pause continues. The source added, however, that Iran is "prepared to mount a broad response" should hostilities resume.

U.S. officials have framed the suspension as a move to create an opportunity for diplomacy. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, told Fox News on Sunday that President Trump is "giving talks some space, he’s giving it a little bit of room."

Impact on Energy Markets

The recent conflict has been a significant driver of volatility in energy markets, threatening key infrastructure and the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical oil shipping chokepoint. The tit-for-tat strikes had escalated from U.S. attacks on Iranian infrastructure to Iranian strikes on water desalination plants in neighboring Gulf states.

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Market jitters intensified last week after Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen announced a blockade on Saudi oil in the Red Sea. The move threatened a second major energy route and helped push the benchmark Brent crude price above $100 a barrel for the first time since May. A sustained pause in the conflict could bring some relief to oil prices, though traders remain watchful of the fragile situation.

White House Deliberations

President Trump's decision to halt the strikes reportedly came after some of his advisers raised concerns. According to The New York Times and CNN, officials including Pentagon Chief of Staff Dan Caine expressed worries over the potential depletion of U.S. missile defense stockpiles used to protect regional bases.

Despite the U.S. administration's diplomatic framing, the Iranian source conveyed deep skepticism to Reuters. The official stated that the prevailing view in Tehran is that the pause is "tactical rather than genuine," reflecting a lack of trust in the U.S. negotiating position.