Iran leaned on Yemen’s Houthi rebel group to reach a truce with the US over attacks in the Red Sea in a move aimed at pushing along negotiations for an agreement over Tehran’s nuclear program, according to reports.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening announced an end to hostilities with the Houthis, catching Israeli officials by surprise. The announcement did not mention the ongoing Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel, and officials for the Yemeni rebel group pledged that such strikes would continue.

Two Iranian officials, one from the foreign ministry and the other from the Revolutionary Guards, said that Iran had persuaded the Houthis to stop their attacks on US assets as part of the Omani mediation efforts, The New York Times reported.

CNN cited people familiar with the matter as saying Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff had worked with the Omanis over the past week to broker the US-Houthi ceasefire. The sources said the ceasefire was also meant to help build momentum in the Iran nuclear talks, which Witkoff has also been leading on behalf of the Trump administration.

There have been three rounds of nuclear talks already, though a date for the fourth has not yet been set, though it is likely to take place this weekend.

Oman is mediating the nuclear talks too, and has hosted some of the rounds.

Trump, who withdrew the US from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, has signaled confidence in clinching a new pact that blocks Iran’s path to a nuclear bomb, but has threatened to attack if diplomacy fails.

While announcing the........

© The Times of Israel