Trump Halts Iran Strikes as Tehran Seeks Regional Confidence

President Donald Trump directed a halt to new military strikes on Iran, ending nearly two weeks of daily attacks. While acknowledging that Iran is seeking talks and expressing a willingness to listen, Trump maintained that the United States will not compromise on preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He claimed recent U.S. operations significantly degraded Iranian military capabilities, though he provided no evidence for his figures.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei responded by asserting that Iran will not allow the United States to dictate the timing of war and peace. Baghaei accused Washington of violating a June 18 memorandum of understanding by launching attacks before the implementation period expired and failing to release frozen assets. He further condemned a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, describing the alignment between Ukraine, Israel, and the U.S. as a triangle of evil.

Following a period described as a 40-day war—during which Iran struck American bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia—Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Iran's intention to enter a confidence-building phase. Araghchi stated that Iran's military actions were conducted solely in self-defense. Meanwhile, Iran is conducting bilateral talks with Oman regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed.