Trump Says He Called Off Planned Iran Attack at Request of Gulf States as Talks Advance
US President Donald Trump announced that he has temporarily postponed a planned military strike against Iran that was reportedly scheduled for Tuesday. According to Trump, the delay came after requests from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, who urged the United States to give diplomacy another chance before escalating the conflict further.
In a post shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed that “serious negotiations” were now underway with Iran. He said Gulf leaders had assured him that a deal acceptable to the United States could soon be reached. Trump emphasized that the main goal of the negotiations was to ensure that Iran would never obtain nuclear weapons, writing in capital letters: “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!”
Despite expressing optimism about diplomacy, Trump also warned that the United States remained fully prepared to launch a “full, large-scale assault” against Iran at any moment if negotiations failed. His statement reflected a combination of pressure and diplomacy, showing that Washington is attempting to keep military options available while continuing talks.
In response, a senior Iranian military commander warned the United States against making what he called “strategic mistakes and miscalculations again.” Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that any new attack on the country would trigger a powerful retaliation across the region.
Trump’s announcement comes at a politically difficult time for him inside the United States. Public support for the war appears to be weakening rapidly. According to a recent New York Times/Siena College poll, around 64% of American voters believe going to war with Iran was the wrong decision. The same survey showed Trump’s approval rating standing at only 37%, highlighting growing dissatisfaction among voters over the conflict, economic concerns, and immigration policies. Analysts believe these issues could seriously hurt Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.
The current conflict escalated dramatically on 28 February when Israeli and American forces launched large-scale airstrikes against Iran. In retaliation, Iran fired drones and missiles targeting Israel as well as US military facilities located across Gulf countries. Since then, tensions in the Middle East have remained extremely high.
One of the biggest concerns for Gulf Arab states is the possibility of Iranian retaliation if the US carries out additional attacks. Iran is believed to still possess a large arsenal of drones and missiles capable of striking neighboring countries, airports, oil facilities, and desalination plants that supply drinking water throughout the Gulf region. Such attacks could create severe humanitarian and economic crises, especially during the region’s extremely hot summer season.
Speaking later to reporters, Trump described the diplomatic efforts as “a very positive development” but admitted there was still uncertainty about whether the negotiations would succeed. He explained that previous talks had nearly produced agreements before collapsing at the last moment. However, he suggested that this round of negotiations felt different and offered “a very good chance” for a breakthrough. Trump added that he would be pleased if an agreement could be achieved “without bombing the hell out of them.”
Although a ceasefire agreed upon in April was intended to support peace talks, there have still been occasional exchanges of fire between the sides. Meanwhile, Iran continues to control the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass through this narrow waterway.
Iran has effectively restricted traffic through the strait in response to US and Israeli military operations, causing oil prices around the world to rise sharply. In return, the United States has intensified pressure on Tehran by enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Iranian media outlets also published statements attributed to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, warning that Iran could open “new fronts” in areas where its enemies are vulnerable and inexperienced. Some reports suggested these comments were republished from earlier speeches, but they still signaled Iran’s readiness to expand the conflict if necessary.
Iran stated on Monday that it had officially responded to the latest American proposal and confirmed that indirect talks with Washington were continuing through Pakistani mediators. However, Iranian media criticized the US proposal for failing to offer meaningful concessions.
Only a day earlier, Trump had warned Iran that “the clock is ticking” and demanded faster progress toward an agreement. He had previously described the existing truce as being on “massive life support” after rejecting several Iranian demands as “totally unacceptable.”
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei defended Tehran’s conditions, describing them as “responsible” and “generous.” According to Iranian media reports, Iran’s demands include an immediate end to military operations across the region, including Israeli strikes against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon. Tehran is also demanding an end to the US naval blockade, guarantees against future attacks, compensation for war damage, and recognition of Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz.
On the other hand, reports from Iranian news agencies indicate that Washington has proposed several strict conditions of its own. These reportedly include limiting Iran to only one operational nuclear facility and transferring its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States.
One of the biggest disagreements between the two countries remains Iran’s nuclear programme. While the US and European nations accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons through uranium enrichment, Iran insists that its nuclear activities are only for peaceful civilian purposes such as energy production.
In a possible sign of compromise, Trump recently indicated that he might accept a 20-year suspension of Iran’s nuclear programme instead of demanding its complete dismantling. This suggestion appears to represent a softer position compared to earlier US demands and may open the door for further negotiations.
The situation remains highly sensitive, with both diplomacy and the threat of war continuing side by side. The coming days are expected to be critical in determining whether the US and Iran can reach a historic agreement or move closer toward a wider regional conflict.