In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump has paused a planned military strike on Iran following urgent appeals from key Arab leaders on Monday. The decision, announced via Trump’s Truth Social platform, came just a day before the attack was set to occur.
According to Trump, the offensive was initially slated for Tuesday, but he agreed to delay it after receiving requests from Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. These leaders argued that meaningful negotiations are currently underway between Washington and Middle Eastern nations, as well as other parties.
The U.S. president emphasized that any eventual deal must prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, stating, “This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” He confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine were instructed to stand down, but remain ready to launch a full-scale assault at a moment’s notice if negotiations fail.
This development comes less than 24 hours after Trump warned that time was running out for a diplomatic solution. Negotiations have stalled for weeks since a ceasefire was put in place.