US President Donald Trump announced that he has called off planned strikes against Iran, on condition that a deal with the country could soon be reached. Posting on Truth Social, Donald Trump stated that he had decided to cancel the strike given the possibility of quickly reaching an “agreement.” He noted that this agreement would include elements such as the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and putting an end to the Iranian nuclear threat.
Trump revealed that this decision was taken after consultations with Israel. The announcement came at a time when US media reports suggested that America was preparing to carry out even more intense new strikes on Iran over the weekend. Tehran had previously accused the United States of escalating tensions, warning that any regional country cooperating with Washington would “get caught up in the flames of war.”
In the post, Trump stated that the United States was fully prepared to strike the Islamic Republic of Iran and was ready to display military power unlike anything seen since World War II. However, he said he halted the strikes after other Middle Eastern countries asked him to give Iran some time to reach an agreement.
Indicating that some progress had been made toward a deal, he said an agreement had been reached on certain terms. He wrote that the deal includes the immediate and complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, along with putting an end to Iran’s nuclear threat. Iran has not yet responded to Trump’s announcement.
The US government warned that if tensions in the Middle East escalate further, Americans should remain alert and be prepared to leave the region. In a security advisory issued on Saturday, it stated that Americans currently in the Middle East should take appropriate precautions and remain vigilant, given the possibility of flight cancellations. Multiple sources told CBS News, a BBC media partner in the US, that the United States and Israel are drawing up plans for airstrikes targeting energy infrastructure sites in Iran. Those sources noted that this plan was discussed during Trump’s cabinet meeting held on Friday.