Shafaqna Pakistan: Iran said that it had made progress in talks with Oman on operational mechanisms to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, while stressing that maritime traffic through the strategic waterway remains uninterrupted.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said several rounds of discussions were held in Tehran on Friday and Saturday between Iranian and Omani deputy foreign ministers.
According to the semi-official Fars news agency, Baqaei said the two sides exchanged views on shared principles and practical mechanisms aimed at ensuring the safe navigation of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
He described the talks as “productive,” saying progress had been made during the discussions.
Baqaei said the Omani delegation left Tehran on Saturday evening, and that technical and political consultations between the two countries remain ongoing.
IRGC threatens UK over support for US attacks on Iran
An IRGC spokesperson has told Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB that “any country, whether the UK, the Gulf Coast countries, or others” would become a “legitimate target” if they support the US in its attacks on Iran, Al Jazeera reported.
The unnamed spokesperson pointed to the UK’s role, claiming that American B-1 bombers used British airports to carry out recent attacks.
“If they cooperate with the US, they will be our definite and legitimate target,” the spokesperson said.
Trump reportedly pauses further US strikes on Iran after 13 days
US President Donald Trump has reportedly decided to pause plans for further strikes on Iran following 13 consecutive days of attacks, The New York Times and Axios reported, according to the Al Jazeera.
The New York Times, citing Trump administration officials, said the decision was driven by concerns that an escalation could “dangerously drain the Pentagon’s already diminished stockpile of Patriot antimissile interceptors and other air defense munitions in the Middle East”. The report said the decision followed a meeting between Trump, his senior advisers and cabinet members on Friday.
Axios, citing two anonymous sources familiar with the matter, reported that it remains unclear whether the pause is temporary or marks a broader halt to US strikes. The outlet said the decision “reflects both his willingness to provide more space for diplomacy and a recognition that — short of a return to major combat operations — the current level of US strikes has reached the limit of its effectiveness”.
According to Axios, the US military is also preparing contingency plans for a possible return to major combat operations.
Source: Express Tribune
