Trump says the US halted strikes on Iran after a request for renewed peace talks [SOUND]

# US president Donald Trump says he decided to pause strikes on Iran because the countries mediating between them had asked him to give the talks another chance. The pause follows nearly two weeks of daily US strikes and retaliatory attacks by Tehran. Iran has denied that any direct negotiations are taking place. Trump has warned that they will resume strikes if the two sides fail to reach a new ceasefire deal. However, he has expressed optimism for an end to the war: