US President Donald Trump has announced he will "hold off" on a planned military attack against Iran, which he claims was scheduled for Tuesday, following appeals from Gulf leaders. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the Pentagon had delayed the operation due to "serious negotiations" now underway.
Trump's Statement on Social Media
Trump wrote that he had been asked by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to postpone the strike. He added that these leaders believe a deal will be reached that is acceptable to the United States and other countries in the Middle East and beyond.
"This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!" Trump emphasised in his post. He instructed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine, and the US military to cancel the scheduled attack for tomorrow, but to remain prepared for a "full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice" if an acceptable agreement is not reached.
Context and Reactions
Any US attack on Iran would mark the end of the fragile ceasefire agreed upon by the two nations on April 8. Trump had warned just yesterday that the "clock is ticking" regarding Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei described Iran's latest offer to the US as "responsible" and "generous."
Hostilities began on February 28 following a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. Pakistan has been attempting to mediate between the two countries, but a significant gap remains in their positions.
