Tehran/Washington: US President Donald Trump reportedly cancelled planned military strikes on Tehran at the last moment, leading to a temporary easing of tensions between the United States and Iran. An Iranian ambassador based in Pakistan told media outlets that President Trump had assured that Washington does not intend to carry out an attack at present. The development comes amid heightened regional anxiety over a possible escalation.
Following the cancellation of the proposed strike, the White House announced that Iran had also withdrawn plans to impose the death penalty on protesters, citing strong warnings issued earlier by President Trump. The move was presented as part of efforts to de-escalate the situation, although unrest inside Iran continues.
Iran subsequently reopened its airspace after briefly shutting it down due to security concerns. According to a Reuters report, US military personnel who had been temporarily withdrawn from several bases across West Asia—including the strategic Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—have returned to their posts. The report also noted that the security alert level at Al Udeid has been lowered.
Earlier, Iran had closed its airspace, allowing only flights with special clearance to operate to and from the country, and issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) formalising the restrictions. Flight-tracking websites had shown Iranian and Iraqi airspace largely cleared of civilian aircraft even before the official announcement.
Despite the apparent de-escalation, Iran has continued to issue strong warnings. Suspecting a potential US attack, Tehran reportedly stepped up its military preparedness and coordinated closely with Iraqi forces. International media also reported that Iranian state television aired footage from a past assassination attempt on President Trump during the US election campaign, accompanied by a warning message suggesting that future threats would be more direct, underscoring the fragile and volatile nature of the current standoff.