Beirut: Iran will not let the US decide when war or peace takes place, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Monday. "We will not allow the United States to determine the time of peace and war," Baqaei stated at a weekly news conference.

According to Anadolu Agency, Baqaei's remarks were made during a press briefing, where he criticized the US for being "stuck in a self-made quagmire after five months." The comments came amid heightened tensions between the two nations.

On Sunday, Iranian military spokesperson Amir Mohammad Akraminia announced that the US had halted its attacks over the previous two nights, leading to a cessation of Iran's "counter-operations" as well. This development followed a directive from US President Donald Trump, who, according to an Axios report on Saturday, instructed the US military to cease launching new strikes on Iran. This decision ended nearly two weeks of continuous military engagement.

The situation has seen escalating tensions, with the US conducting assaults on Iran, and Tehran retaliating by targeting what it identified as US military installations and equipment throughout the region.