Airstrikes have paused and talks are pressing forward. But can the US and Iran take the off-ramp? - AP News

What the report says

The Associated Press reports that the U.S. military has halted airstrikes on Iran after almost two weeks of escalating attacks, as diplomatic efforts intensify to prevent the conflict from returning to full-scale war. The conflict, which AP says began Feb. 28 with Israel and the U.S. acting together, is nearing the five-month mark. President Donald Trump has warned of further military action while also saying talks are continuing.

AP says mediators are focused on restoring an interim ceasefire and addressing control of vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil-shipping route. A regional official involved in mediation told AP that the pause in U.S. and Iranian strikes was a helpful sign for de-escalation efforts. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, also said Iran and Oman held technical talks in Tehran over the weekend and that discussions were making progress.

The strait remains central to the crisis. AP reports that Iran restricted shipping there after the war began, oil prices rose, and the U.S. later renewed attacks on Iranian coastal defenses before expanding strikes to other infrastructure. Washington Institute analyst Michael Singh told AP the lull could either be an operational pause or an opening for diplomacy, and said Israel’s absence from the latest U.S. strikes may indicate an effort to keep the conflict limited.

Uncertainty remains ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned Washington visit with Trump next week. AP also notes wider regional tension, including Houthi claims of attacks on Saudi Arabia and U.S. enforcement of a blockade of Iranian ports.