Weekend Geopolitical Headlines: US paused strikes against Iran over the weekend

US paused strikes against Iran over the weekend. US President Trump posted several generated images, including the US striking Kharg Island, the US striking Iran, an explosion of an Iranian vessel with the caption “No More Engines”, and an image of Trump holding a US flag on an Iranian vessel with the caption “It’s Our Oil Tanker Now!”. US VP Vance raised concerns to President Trump on Friday regarding the escalating war. US CENTCOM commander Cooper advised the Pentagon and the White House that the next possible step is to return to a large-scale military operation to destroy the approximately 20% of targets that the US military marked but did not attack during Operation Epic Fury. However, he stressed that if the decision is not to escalate the fighting and not return to a large-scale operation, there is no point in continuing the bombing campaign that has been underway for the past two weeks, according to the sources cited by Axios’s Ravid. Iran’s Supreme Leader reiterated Iran’s strategic support for Hezbollah and demanded a full end to Israeli operations in Lebanon. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it will never allow the US to pursue hegemony in the waters of the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei said information exchanges between Iran and the US, as well as mediators’ activities, are continuing. Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi warned that Iran would respond to a deadly attack by Ukraine on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea, after Ukrainian President Zelensky announced that Kyiv conducted long-range strikes in the Caspian Sea on vessels transporting military cargo involving Iran. Qatar’s PM and Foreign Minister held a call with Oman’s Foreign Minister and stressed that parties must pursue dialogue and diplomacy, as well as implement the consensus reached under the US-Iran MoU, including ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard regional security and preserve stability. India’s embassy in Tehran said it is in close contact with authorities after an LPG tanker carrying 28 Indian crew members was attacked in Iranian territorial waters on Friday. Yemen’s Houthis said they carried out operations against Aramco facilities in Saudi’s Jizan and Yanbu.