Trump Postpones Iran Strike After Gulf Leaders Urge Restraint
President Donald Trump announced Monday that he was standing down a planned military strike on Iran, CNBC reported, citing direct appeals from three of the region’s most powerful heads of state.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had personally asked him to delay the operation. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani all reportedly argued that a diplomatic agreement was within reach.
Gulf Capitals Intervene at a Critical Moment
Trump said the three leaders requested a pause of “two or three days” to allow active negotiations to continue. He told attendees at a White House event that a major attack had been planned for Tuesday. He added that he hoped the postponement would ultimately become permanent, though he stopped short of guaranteeing that outcome.
In his social media post, Trump said the Gulf allies believed a deal acceptable to all parties — including the United States — was close. He emphasised that any agreement must bar Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, writing in capitals that nuclear weapons for Iran were simply off the table.
Background: A Ceasefire on Life Support
The backdrop is a fragile and repeatedly violated ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, now roughly six weeks old. Fighting has continued to punctuate the nominal truce, and Trump himself described it last week as being on “life support.”
At the heart of the standoff is the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which a significant share of global oil supply passes. Dueling blockades have disrupted shipping along the strait, generating an energy supply shock with consequences felt across commodity markets worldwide. Axios had previously reported that Trump was weighing a resumption of active military operations after Tehran’s latest negotiating position was deemed unacceptable.
Military Remains on Standby
Despite the pause, Trump made clear that the option to strike has not been retired. He instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine to remain ready to execute a “full, large scale assault” on short notice should negotiations collapse. Hegseth was in Kentucky on Monday for a separate political event.
Earlier in the day, Trump had told the New York Post that Iran knew “what’s going to be happening soon,” without elaborating. The brief window now open for diplomacy will test whether Gulf mediators can translate their influence into a durable framework before that window closes.
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