Donald Trump has claimed Iran is on the cusp of signing a deal with the US that would reportedly see the surrender of nuclear assets and capabilities.
The US President told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that talks between the two nations are about to reconvene on Monday, with a peace deal 'on Hormuz' and 'on the nuclear' supposedly to follow shortly thereafter.
Massive attack called off
Trump's tip-off to the press came hours after he took to social media to applaud himself for cancelling a plan to launch a "massive attack" against Iran in the name of peace. On audio leaked online, a reporter can be heard asking the US President: "What prompted you to call off the strike last night?"
Trump replied: "I was asked to by Saudi Arabia, by [the] UAE, and by Qatar, and by Iran. We were all set to go, just about at this time right now, and it would have been a massive attack."
The US President continued: "We were all set to go, but when the allies asked to call it off, you gotta sort of say, 'Well, let's see.' And the reason they asked is I think there's a deal. There's a deal on Hormuz, and then there will be a deal on the nuclear—or, you might call it the denuclearisation of Iran."
Trump told a reporter that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a man accused of crimes against humanity, had urged the US President to dial it back a bit.
Trump's Truth Social post
The suggestion of an actual peace treaty between the US and Iran comes a day or so after Trump took to Truth Social to heap praise upon himself for cancelling the planned offensive. His post read:
"The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II.
"Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to. This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.
"Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.
"The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Saudi concerns revealed
It comes as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto leader, expressed in a phone call with Trump his concerns about the US potentially escalating the conflict with Iran, according to a person familiar with the leaders' discussion.
The Saudis, according to the person briefed on the substance of the call but not authorised to comment publicly, are concerned that if the US targets Iran's energy infrastructure or carries out massive strikes on other key infrastructure, Tehran could respond by carrying out attacks on the kingdom's and other Gulf countries' energy infrastructure.
The Crown Prince during Saturday's call sought clarity from Trump on what potential new action he's weighing to take against Iran, the person said. A White House official, who was not authorised to comment publicly and requested anonymity, confirmed the leaders spoke on Saturday but did not offer any detail about the substance of their conversation.
