Iran will refrain from launching further retaliatory strikes in the Middle East as long as the United States maintains its pause on aerial bombardment, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday following President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend a 13-night bombing campaign.
The Iranian source emphasized that Tehran’s operational policy remains strictly “attack for attack,” confirming that the stance has been formally communicated to Washington through diplomatic intermediaries. The temporary lull comes after U.S. UN Ambassador Mike Waltz stated that Trump ordered the suspension to create room for diplomatic engagement following nearly two weeks of heavy military exchanges.
Despite the pause, Iranian officials expressed deep skepticism, characterizing the U.S. decision as a tactical maneuver rather than a genuine commitment to de-escalation. U.S. media reports indicate Trump suspended the campaign after top military advisers raised concerns regarding depleted precision-munition stockpiles and the exhaustion of primary strategic target sets in Iran.
