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US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he will order American forces to hold off on new strikes against Iran, saying Middle East allies had reached the parameters of a deal to end the five-month-old war. In a social media post, Trump said the emerging agreement would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to what he called Iran’s nuclear threat.
Trump said he had agreed to cancel the attack after the request from allies, while making clear that this would depend on a deal being reached quickly. He also said Israel had agreed to join the US in trying to complete an agreement with Iran to end the war. Iran did not immediately respond in public to the announcement.
The emerging deal “would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat,” Trump wrote. He added: “Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.”
Trump’s announcement was another shift in the conflict, coming a day after he had suggested the US was close to resuming heavy military strikes to force Tehran back to the negotiating table. The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, beginning a war that Trump said was aimed at destroying Tehran’s missile capabilities, stopping it from getting a nuclear weapon and ending its support for allied armed groups. But the stated goals and timelines of the conflict have changed repeatedly, and an earlier mid-June deal to stop the fighting fell apart within weeks.
Before Trump’s announcement, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to him by phone and raised concerns about a possible US escalation with Iran, according to a person familiar with the discussion. The person, who was not authorised to comment publicly, said Saudi Arabia was worried that Tehran could retaliate by attacking the kingdom’s energy infrastructure and that of other Gulf countries. The crown prince also sought clarity from Trump on what action he was considering against Iran. A White House official confirmed the two leaders spoke on Saturday but did not give details.
Iran has repeatedly attacked vessels trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without its authorisation as part of its ongoing conflict with the US. On Saturday, the State Department issued fresh security alerts asking US citizens in the region to prepare for possible flight cancellations, temporary airspace closures and other travel disruption. The warnings covered Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, underscoring the wider regional tensions as efforts continued to secure a deal and avoid fresh strikes.
With PTI Inputs
– Ends
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