Iran stopped striking neighboring Persian Gulf states two days ago because the US stopped bombing Iranian territory, the Iranian military said today, stressing that Tehran's strategy is based on “retaliatory actions“, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.
“Over the past two nights, the Americans stopped their attacks. Since our strategy is mainly based on retaliation, we also stopped our operations“, spokesman Mohammad Akraminya said in an interview with state television.
This morning at dawn, no US bombings were reported in Iran. It was the second consecutive night of a lull in hostilities, as US media reported a possible ammunition shortage after nearly five months of war. In the capital Tehran, which was not hit by the bombings, life went on as normal amid the usual traffic jams and heatwave, AFP's team on the ground reported.
Although President Donald Trump said on Friday he did not rule out more bombing, the lull is remarkable after two weeks of strikes at an unprecedented intensity since a ceasefire in April.
Iran has not claimed responsibility for any attacks on its Gulf allies, which did not report any airstrikes overnight.
According to the “New York Times“, citing two sources familiar with the matter, the US government is concerned about the reduction in the stockpile of interceptors for the “Patriot“ missile defense systems and other defense equipment protecting regional U.S. allies that Iran has been attacking in response to U.S. strikes. CNN, citing a Defense Department source, also said that military operations against Iran had been “paused,” citing the same reasons.
Shipping in Qatari territorial waters, which was suspended due to Iranian airstrikes, has now returned to normal, DPA reported, citing a statement from the Qatari Ministry of Transport.
The Ministry of Transport noted that maritime traffic was suspended two weeks ago when the Iranian air force resumed its attacks. At that time, Doha ordered the suspension of all travel and “maritime activities” until further notice. This applied not only to cargo ships and tankers, but also to fishing vessels, yachts and recreational boats, etc.
The Qatari Ministry of Transport announced today that all types of vessels are once again allowed to operate in their usual mode and that the permission is effective immediately. However, shipping companies and crews were urged to continue to comply with all safety rules.
Qatar has dozens of fishing and yacht ports serving both commercial and private vessels.
The delegations of Iran and Oman met again earlier in the day to discuss the future management of the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran said today, quoted by Agence France-Presse.
According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai, a series of productive talks were held in Tehran on Friday and yesterday between the deputy foreign ministers of the two countries.
The coasts of both Iran and Oman stretch along the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which has become one of the main issues in the Middle East war after Tehran decided to block shipping there in response to the US-Israeli offensive at the end of February.
Before the conflict, the strait carried a fifth of the world's hydrocarbon trade. It was briefly opened after a protocol was signed between Iran and the United States in mid-June, but was closed again when the agreement was broken with the resumption of fighting less than a month later.
Tehran has repeatedly said that in the future the situation in the strait will no longer be the same as before the war. Now it wants to impose service fees, while Oman continues to fail to clarify its position, AFP noted.
At a meeting in London in early July, the International Maritime Organization said that countries should reject Iran's attempts to exercise sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, as well as Tehran's unilateral decision to create a body to control maritime traffic there.
Iran and Oman have already discussed the issue in recent months, but have so far not achieved concrete results.
The talks, described by Bagai as “useful“, were dedicated to “common principles and operational mechanisms to ensure safe navigation through the strait while respecting the sovereign rights of both countries“ in their territorial waters, the ministry said.
Iran allows only one route past its coast, and the creation of an Omani route in June angered it and led to a series of attacks.
According to Iranian state television, the country's navy has stopped six ships in the past 24 hours that tried to pass through the strait without its permission.
The war in the Middle East "will escalate even further" if the United States resumes its bombing campaign, which has been suspended for two days, the Iranian military warned today on the eve of an upcoming visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington.
“If the Americans again allow themselves to be misled by the Zionists or side with them and insist on continuing the war, especially through air strikes, it will spread geographically,” a spokesman for the army, quoted by state television.
Netanyahu will arrive in Washington tomorrow and meet with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.