Trump Says He Called Off Planned Strike on Iran

President Donald Trump announced today (Sunday) that he decided to cancel the planned attack on Iran, saying appeals had been received from Iran and other Middle Eastern countries seeking to avoid an escalation. According to Trump, the decision came after preliminary understandings were reached regarding a new agreement, with Israel participating in the emerging diplomatic effort.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote that “the United States is locked, loaded, and ready to act against Iran,” adding that the military was prepared at levels of “military force, power, and strength not seen since World War II.”

Trump said that although the military plan was ready to be carried out, appeals from Iran and other countries in the region led to the decision to delay the move and allow diplomatic efforts to continue. He noted that the understandings reached included principles intended to reduce tensions in the region.

Among the steps cited by the president was the “immediate, full, and complete” opening of the Strait of Hormuz to traffic, alongside efforts aimed at ending Iran’s nuclear threat. Trump made clear that canceling the attack was intended, in his words, “for the future of the world and the survival of Iran,” but stressed that the move depends on the sides quickly reaching a final agreement.

At the end of his statement, Trump emphasized that the United States and Israel are jointly committed to the current diplomatic process. He called on everyone involved in the talks to act quickly to finalize the agreement, concluding: “Get to work, everybody, and get it done.”

Iranian regime-aligned media rejected Trump’s remarks this morning. In a quote attributed to senior military officials, it said: “The claims of the American president, according to which Iran asked to stop the attacks, are a new lie and a desperate attempt to blackmail the rulers of the Persian Gulf and pressure them through threats. Whether he continues his aggressive actions or retreats from them, our forces are at the highest level of readiness and prepared for every scenario. If confrontation becomes unavoidable, the battlefield will determine everything, and at that time, everyone will understand who holds the power and who will have the final word.”

Shortly before his announcement, the website “Axios” reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed concern to Trump about the American plan to launch a broad attack on Iran. According to the report, which was based on two American officials and another source familiar with details of the conversation between the two men on Saturday, the Saudis sought clarification regarding the operational plan. Another source said that bin Salman also urged Trump to “calm things down and avoid launching an attack,” in an effort to prevent further escalation in the region.

Just half an hour before Trump’s announcement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also addressed contacts with Iran in an interview with “Fox News.” According to Rubio, Iran “wanted to reach a point where it had a large number of missiles and drones with which it could prevent damage to its nuclear stockpile.” Rubio added that “the only reason they are ready for a deal on disarmament and the Strait is that the United States is dealing with them now from a position of strength and not from a position of weakness, as was the case in the past.”