Trump Postpones Iran Strike After Saudi, UAE, Qatar Leaders Intervene
CNBC reported Monday that President Donald Trump announced he had called off an Iran attack postponed from Tuesday following urgent diplomatic appeals from three regional allies.
Trump disclosed the decision in a Truth Social post, saying he had directed U.S. military commanders to stand down on what he described as a “scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow.” The last-minute reversal came after the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates personally asked him to pause.
Gulf Leaders Step In at the Final Hour
Trump named three specific figures who contacted him. Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan all reportedly urged Washington to allow more time for diplomacy. Trump said the leaders believed a deal was “very close” and requested a brief window of two to three days.
Speaking at a White House event the same afternoon, Trump told reporters the U.S. had been “getting ready to do a very major attack tomorrow.” He said he paused it “for a little while, hopefully maybe forever,” pending the outcome of ongoing talks with Tehran.
Military Keeps Its Powder Dry
Despite the pause, Trump made clear the military option has not been taken off the table. He directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine to remain ready to execute a “full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice” if negotiations collapse. The president’s core demand remains consistent: Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Earlier Monday, Trump had told the New York Post that Iran was aware of what was “going to be happening soon,” though he declined to elaborate. Axios reported that Trump had been weighing a return to active military operations after Tehran’s latest negotiating position was judged insufficient by Washington.
A Ceasefire Already Fraying
The backdrop to Monday’s announcement is a fragile ceasefire now nearly six weeks old. Trump himself described it last week as being on “life support,” and sporadic fighting has repeatedly undercut the truce. At the center of the standoff sits the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a significant share of the world’s seaborne oil passes. Competing blockades have disrupted tanker traffic, rattling energy markets and tightening global supply.
The diplomatic scramble signals that Gulf states with enormous economic and security stakes in the region are actively working to prevent a wider escalation. Whether Tehran responds with a proposal acceptable to Washington remains the defining question.
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