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Home / US-Israel-Iran / Middle East latest: Trump announces pause in new Iran strikes, making way for peace talks
US‑Israel‑Iran, Iran, Middle East

August 2, 2026

Middle East latest: Trump announces pause in new Iran strikes, making way for peace talks

We are learning more this weekend as President Donald Trump says he will halt new strikes against Iran for now, citing a reported deal in the works to end the five-month war. Trump made the announcement on Saturday night. An official involved in the peace talks told The Associated Press that the deal calls for reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan. LiveNOW’s Andy Mac is speaking with Daniel L. Davis, a senior fellow and military expert at Defense Priorities, as Iran’s defense minister said the country was “neither surprised nor passive” after Trump’s announcement.

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Daniel
Davis

Senior Fellow & Military Expert

Defense Priorities

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