US President Donald Trump says he has called off a planned large-scale military strike on Iran, claiming that the “perimeters of a deal” have been agreed upon and that diplomatic progress has made military action unnecessary.
Trump announced the decision late Saturday on his Truth Social platform, one day after US media reports said the United States and Israel were preparing strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure.
According to Trump, he agreed to suspend the attack after requests from Iran and several Middle Eastern countries to allow negotiations to continue. He said the understanding was contingent on a swift conclusion to the agreement.
Trump also claimed the proposed deal would lead to the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and eliminate what he described as Iran’s nuclear threat, according to news agencies.
Iran has not officially responded to Trump’s announcement. Earlier on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Saudi counterpart that any US or Israeli military action would receive a “proportionate response.”
Meanwhile, Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged Trump during a phone call to cancel the planned strikes and return to negotiations, citing a source familiar with the discussions.
The announcement marks a sharp shift from Trump’s statement on Friday, when he warned that the United States would strike Iran “very hard.”
Despite the apparent diplomatic breakthrough, the US Department of State issued security alerts on Saturday for Americans in 10 countries across the Middle East, advising them to exercise increased caution and consider departing because of heightened regional tensions.
