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Trump giving Iran peace talks ‘some space’ as strikes halt: US envoy

July 26, 2026 at 9:10 pm

An anti-U.S. banner featuring the inscription “You will drown in the sea of the Iranian nation’s revenge” is displayed on a building at Fatimi Square in Tehran, Iran, on July 16, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

US President Donald Trump is allowing “some space” for diplomatic discussions with Iran, according to the US ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, as regional strikes remained halted for a second consecutive night, Anadolu reports.

“The president is keeping all options on the table,” Waltz told NBC News on Sunday.

He clarified that while negotiations are proceeding at “every level,” the Iranian leadership should take the US president very seriously. “I wouldn’t go that far at all,” said Waltz when asked if Trump has currently decided against escalation.

Waltz asserted that the US military is “locked and loaded,” adding that additional assets have been deployed to the region to target those who “illegally struck civilian shipping.”

– Leakers saying US military running out of munitions deserve jail

Speaking on the reports claiming the US military is running out of munitions, Waltz said that individuals leaking such “nonsense” information should face imprisonment, while maintaining that the nation’s forces remain fully capable of conducting active campaigns.

“The US military has everything that it needs to conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be,” he said, dismissing reports of depleted stockpiles. Waltz asserted that “the people that are leaking this nonsense deserve to be in jail,” noting that several leak investigations are currently underway through the Department of Justice.

While acknowledging that the administration inherited a “depleted situation” due to prior aid for Ukraine and operations against the Houthis, he emphasized that the current defense budget is actively rebuilding the military with “new technologies” and “cheaper munitions.”

A second consecutive night passed without reported US or Iranian strikes after two weeks of sustained bombardment, as Pakistan and Qatar intensified mediation efforts to secure a broader de-escalation between Washington and Tehran.

No explosions or US air raids were recorded across Iran overnight into Sunday, according to an Anadolu tracking of developments after the previous night also passed without announced strikes.

In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding that included a ceasefire following Qatari and Pakistani mediation, paving the way for negotiations on a final agreement to end the conflict.