The Iranian military warned on Sunday that conflict could spread further across the Middle East if the US resumes attacking Iran.
Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia told state TV that the “geography of war” had widened following continued US involvement. He added that military operations now extend from the Bab Al Mandeb Strait to US military borders in Jordan and countries bordering the Gulf.
The regional conflict broadened at the weekend despite a pause in US strikes, as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast and Iran accused Ukraine of hitting one of its vessels in the Caspian Sea.
The US military said on Saturday its naval blockade against Iran “remains in full effect” but did not explain why it halted a streak of 13 nights of escalating strikes.
There were also no reports on Saturday of attacks by Iran on its Arabian Gulf neighbours, like those which have been taking place daily in response to the US attacks.
Axios, citing two sources familiar with the matter, said President Donald Trump on Friday directed the military not to conduct new strikes against Iran.
“It was previously announced that if the Americans insist on their aggression, the geography of war will expand, and now this warning has been realised in the field,” Mr Akraminia said.
He added that the expansion of the conflict was a direct consequence of what he described as Washington's insistence on continuing “aggressive actions” against Iran.
“The scope of the conflicts has now expanded to Bab Al Mandeb and the scope of operations covers a large part of the region; from US bases in Jordan to the countries bordering the Gulf,” he said.
The spokesman also warned that the conflict could widen further if the US continues air strikes against Iranian targets.
“If the Americans continue to be influenced by the Zionist regime or move along the path of this regime's policies and insist on the continuation of the war, especially air strikes, the geography of the war will expand even more,” he said.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday that Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of US intentions.
"Iran’s position remains ‘attack for attack’: if the attacks stop, Iran will also halt its operations. That message has already been conveyed to the United States," the source told Reuters, a day after Washington paused attacks.
"There is more scepticism than optimism about the halt in attacks. The prevailing view is that the pause is tactical rather than genuine," the source added.
The US ambassador to the United Nations said that President Trump has paused attacks on Iran to allow more room for diplomacy.
"He's giving talks some space, he's giving it a little bit of room," Mike Waltz told Fox News.
On Sunday, a tanker operating in the southern Red Sea reported an incident involving an unknown projectile that splashed into the water close to the vessel, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said.
According to UKMTO, the vessel's crew reported witnessing a splash from the projectile near the tanker.
Initial reports indicate that the vessel and its crew are safe, while any environmental impact remains unconfirmed.
Iran's Mehr news agency separately claimed that a tanker had exploded in the Strait of Hormuz, quoting a source who claimed the vessel had deviated from a route designated by Tehran.
The source said Iranian authorities had previously issued repeated warnings that vessels deviating from routes announced by the country would bear responsibility for any resulting consequences.
Iran said on Sunday that technical and political consultations with Oman are continuing following recent talks on managing shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said several rounds of discussions were held in Tehran on Friday and Saturday between Iranian and Omani deputy foreign ministers.
According to Mr Baghaei, the two sides exchanged views on common principles and operational mechanisms for ensuring the safe management of maritime traffic through the strategic waterway while respecting the sovereign rights of Iran and Oman as the two coastal states.
Iran accused Ukraine of carrying out an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea in which one sailor was killed and another was injured.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's charge d'affaires in Tehran to lodge a protest over the “hostile and criminal” attack, state news agency Irna said.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said earlier that that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea.
Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman held a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Sunday to discuss regional developments, with a focus on efforts to de-escalate tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran and the US.
According to Qatar's Foreign Ministry, the two ministers reviewed diplomatic efforts and continuing co-ordination aimed at enhancing regional security and stability.
Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for all parties to pursue dialogue and diplomacy and to implement commitments contained in the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran.
