X
U.S. President Donald Trump said he has decided to hold off on a planned military strike against Iran, citing ongoing negotiations that could potentially end the conflict.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said a “very major attack” scheduled for Tuesday had been postponed to allow time for diplomatic efforts.
“There seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out. If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I’d be very happy,” he said, after first announcing the decision on social media, reports AP.
Trump added that the delay came at the request of key Gulf allies, who believe a deal with Iran could be reached within days.
He said leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had urged him to give negotiations more time.
Despite pausing the strike, Trump warned that the U.S. military remains prepared for a large-scale operation if talks fail.
“I have instructed the military to be ready to move forward with a full assault on a moment’s notice if an acceptable deal is not reached,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly warned that the fragile ceasefire reached in mid-April could collapse if Iran fails to reach an agreement. Over the weekend, he cautioned Tehran that time was running out to act.
While expressing optimism about current negotiations, Trump acknowledged that past efforts to reach a deal had faltered.
“This is a very positive development,” he said, adding, “there were times before when it looked like a deal was close, but nothing happened. This is a little bit different.”
The president has previously delayed or reversed decisions on military action to allow diplomacy to proceed, although strikes were eventually launched earlier in the conflict after initial hesitation.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high across the region, with Iran and allied groups accused of launching drone attacks targeting Gulf states.
Trump has also held recent discussions on the situation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
