France, July 27 -- Tehran said on Monday it had halted retaliatory operations against Washington's regional allies, while US ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump was allowing diplomacy "a little bit of room".

US forces nevertheless remained "locked and loaded", Waltz told Fox News, indicating that military action could resume if negotiations failed to make progress.

The pause follows a sharp escalation that disrupted earlier diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran. Fighting around the Strait of Hormuz triggered a US air campaign and Iranian reprisals targeting shipping routes, Gulf states and military bases across the region.

Before the latest lull, the US military had struck Iran for 13 cons...