US President Donald Trump has called off fresh military strikes against Iran that were planned for Tuesday, following requests from Gulf allies who believe a peace deal is imminent. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated: "I've put it off for a little while, hopefully maybe forever, but possibly for a little while, because we've had very big discussions with Iran, and we'll see what they amount to. I was asked by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and some others." He added that if the delay could allow for a deal within two or three days, it would be worthwhile. However, Trump warned that the US military remains "prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached."
Iran's Response
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei responded by stating that Tehran continues to "pursue diplomacy with seriousness," but emphasized that the Islamic Republic "will not be subdued by contradictory behavior and threats from the opposing side." Meanwhile, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command warned that its armed forces are "ready to pull the trigger" should the US renew its attack.
Oil Markets React
Oil prices fell more than 2% in early Asian trade following Trump's announcement. Brent crude futures for July delivery dropped $3.01, or 2.7%, to $109.09 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery fell $1.38, or 1.3%, to $107.28. Both benchmarks had hit their highest levels since early May in the previous session.
Negotiation Prospects
Trump expressed cautious optimism about the talks, noting that previous attempts had fallen through but that this situation was different. "We've had periods of time where we had, we thought, pretty much getting close to making a deal, and didn't work out. But this is a little bit different now. We're already going tomorrow, very big, and not something I wanted to do, but we have no choice, because we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon," he said.
The president's decision to pause military action has been welcomed by Gulf allies, who are mediating the negotiations. The development comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program, with the US vowing to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
