U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he has called off planned military strikes against Iran, claiming that Tehran has accepted the terms for a new agreement.
Trump said the decision followed appeals from Iran and other countries in the Middle East urging him to delay the attack.
“Based on the request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the world and, likewise, the survival of a prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,” Trump said in a statement issued on Sunday.
The president added that the move would depend on how quickly the proposed agreement could be concluded, noting that Israel had also joined the commitment.
“Get to work, everybody, and get it done,” he said.
Trump claimed that the planned strikes would have been carried out with a level of military force and destruction “not seen since World War II.” He said the proposed deal would result in the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and eliminate concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.
The suspension comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, particularly over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route whose disruption has affected international markets.
Reports had earlier suggested that the U.S. and Israel were considering launching fresh and more intense attacks against Iran.
Trump’s latest announcement follows previous occasions where he issued strong warnings against adversaries but later indicated that diplomatic options remained possible.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials had warned of retaliation if the U.S. targeted critical energy facilities amid ongoing military operations in the region.
Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s wartime military command, accused Washington of pushing the region towards a wider conflict and warned countries supporting the U.S. against Iran.
“The United States is moving at an accelerating pace to fan the flames of a full-scale regional war,” Abdollahi said, adding that nations aligned with America should reconsider their cooperation.