US President Donald Trump is giving negotiations with Iran "some space," his UN ambassador said Sunday, while dismissing reports that the United States was rationing munitions over supply concerns.
UN ambassador Mike Waltz told "Fox News Sunday" that the United States remained "locked and loaded" for more attacks, with additional assets moved into the region. But Trump is "giving talks some space -- he's giving it a little bit of room," he said.
Prior to Friday, the US military had announced strikes on Iran for 13 consecutive nights, in the largest rekindling of the war since an April ceasefire. No new strikes were announced over the last two days.
Waltz also appeared on NBC News' "Meet the Press," where he was asked about reports that the US military was rationing some weaponry over supply concerns. The ambassador initially responded by pointing the finger at former president Joe Biden, noting that "a lot of stockpiles were depleted" when Trump took office last year.
Pressed on whether he would acknowledge a current shortage amid the Iran war, Waltz repeatedly denied.
"I want to be crystal clear. The US military -- and I've verified this every which way -- has everything that it needs to conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be," he asserted.
"The people that are leaking this nonsense deserve to be in jail," he added.
Earlier, Iran has suspended its retaliatory operations against the United States while warning that any decision by Washington to resume military strikes could lead to a wider regional conflict.
According to Iranian authorities, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired warning shots in the Strait of Hormuz to stop six vessels that it said had deviated from designated Iranian shipping routes. The Guards said the warning was intended to enforce maritime regulations and cautioned that the conflict could escalate if the United States resumed its military campaign.
The development came after the 24NewsHD TV channel reported earlier on Sunday that US President Donald Trump had instructed the US military to temporarily suspend new strikes on Iran, ending nearly two weeks of daily attacks.
Citing Axios and sources familiar with the decision, the report said Trump declined to approve a planned round of strikes on Friday after authorising military operations during the previous 13 days.
Iran says progress in Oman talks on Hormuz strait management
AFP reported that Iran said on Sunday it had made progress in talks with Oman on management of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway crucial for oil and gas trade that both countries border.
The latest talks come after the United States resumed attacks on Iran in an effort to end Tehran's control of the strait, following a June memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war that had briefly eased tensions.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said several rounds of negotiations were held in the Iranian capital Tehran on Friday and Saturday between Iranian and Omani deputy foreign ministers.
The discussions focused on "common principles and operational mechanisms" for ensuring the safe passage of shipping through the strait while respecting the sovereign rights of the two states, Baqaei said.
He described the talks as "useful" and said progress had been made, adding that "technical and political consultations between the two sides were continuing".
In June, Oman and Iran said they would discuss imposing service fees, a move Washington opposes.
But Muscat also said ships could transit Hormuz via its waters, angering Tehran, which responded with a pattern of escalation.
Iran said on Saturday that it had not recorded any US attacks after nearly two weeks of strikes.
According to news site Axios, the Pentagon presented US President Donald Trump with a plan for a 14th consecutive night of strikes, but he declined to authorise it in favour of renewed talks.
The report said Trump made the order to hold fire after an Omani delegation arrived in Tehran "for talks on a new arrangement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz".
Responding to a separate question, Baqaei said there had been "no change" in the status of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
On Sunday, Iran's armed forces stopped six vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz after warnings over the past 24 hours, according to state television.
Yemen's Houthis say downed Saudi reconnaissance drone
Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Sunday said they downed a Saudi drone over the northwest of Yemen, a day after the Yemeni group claimed it attacked oil facilities in the Gulf kingdom.
The Houthi's military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group "successfully shot down a Turkish-made... armed reconnaissance drone belonging to the Saudi enemy while it was conducting hostile operations".
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Sunday that recent Iranian attacks had killed more than 200 American military personnel and struck eight US military facilities across the region, as reports emerged that US President Donald Trump had ordered a temporary halt to new strikes on Iran.
In a fresh statement, the IRGC said its operations had destroyed 20 protective shelters during the attacks. It also claimed to have destroyed 17 drones, one F-15 fighter aircraft, one C-17 military transport aircraft and eight aerial refuelling aircraft.
Meanwhile, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Sunday that President Trump had instructed the US military to temporarily suspend new attacks on Iran, bringing nearly two weeks of daily strikes to a halt. The report, citing "Axios" and people familiar with the decision, said Trump declined to authorise a planned round of strikes on Friday after approving military operations over the previous 13 days.
According to the report, it remains unclear whether the suspension is a temporary operational pause or the beginning of a broader shift in US policy towards Iran. The decision was said to reflect Trump's desire to provide more space for diplomatic efforts and his assessment that the military campaign had reached its practical limits without risking a wider regional conflict.
Despite the reported pause, the US military continues to prepare for the possibility of further escalation, although Trump has not authorised any expansion of military operations.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said he retained the option of continuing or intensifying military action against Iran, including, in his words, "knocking out everything they have". However, he described diplomacy as the "smarter strategy".
"We're talking to the Iranians right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by. We're locked and loaded and ready to go, but we're talking to them," Trump said.
Later, while addressing the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, the president said he did not believe Iran was yet ready to reach an agreement but added, "I'm willing to listen."
The reported decision came hours after an Omani delegation arrived in Tehran for talks aimed at reaching a new arrangement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
According to two regional sources cited in the report, the negotiations have made progress, and Oman and Iran could reach an agreement over the weekend. The sources added that Trump is expected to decide whether to accept the proposed agreement if a final deal is reached.