The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed that indirect channels of communication and third party mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington remain active despite intense public exchanges. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei publicly stated that "the exchange of messages between Iran and the United States and the activity of the mediators continue". The announcement comes as active military operations enter a tense pause following nearly two weeks of nightly strikes across the region.
Despite the temporary lull on the ground, social media platforms saw continued activity. President Donald Trump posted visual content portraying military action against Iranian maritime and energy assets. One image depicted a naval operation with the caption "this is our oil tanker now," while another showed targeted strikes on oil infrastructure with the caption "attack on Kharg Island," referring to Iran's primary crude oil export facility. A third post showed an exploding vessel accompanied by the text "no more engines".
Concurrently, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei reiterated Tehran's official posture regarding regional security, declaring that "Iran has established the defense of Hezbollah as its strategic policy". Khamenei outlined explicit conditions for ending the current hostilities, emphasizing that maintaining the territorial integrity of Lebanon and an unconditional cessation of Israeli military operations represent the primary requirement for resolving what he termed "the forced war" with the United States.
Military analysts and defense reporting published by the New York Times indicate that a primary factor delaying further US military escalation is the Pentagon's evaluation of air defense stockpiles. Officials warned that an aggressive expansion of the air campaign could trigger a massive Iranian missile response, potentially depleting critical stocks of interceptor missiles required for regional defense.
According to statements provided by diplomatic observers to Reuters, mediator nations including Qatar and Oman are utilizing the current operational pause to formalize ceasefire proposals. Both Washington and Tehran continue to evaluate terms while maintaining elevated defense readiness across the Persian Gulf.
