US president says he’s postponing today’s scheduled attack at Middle East leaders’ request Iranian media claims US has agreed to freeze oil sanctions, show flexibility on civilian nuclear activity.
Islamabad/DUBAI/Washington – President Donald Trump said Monday he is calling off a plan to attack Iran on Tuesday after the heads of three regional powers in the Middle East asked him to “hold off.”
Trump, in a Truth Social post, said he has informed US military leaders “that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow” in light of the requests from Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The president claimed in the post that those leaders had asked for the planned attack to be postponed “in that serious negotiations are now taking place, and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond.”
“This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” Trump wrote.
The president said he told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine that while Tuesday’s attack is off, they should “be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached.”
Hegseth traveled to Kentucky on Monday to attend a political event with a Republican House candidate challenging incumbent GOP Rep. Thomas Massie, whom Trump wants to kick out of Congress.
Iran sent a new peace proposal to the United States with terms that appeared similar to offers Washington has previously rejected, although a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that the US had softened positions on some issues. A Pakistani source confirmed that Islamabad, which has conveyed messages between the sides in the war in the Middle East since hosting the only round of peace talks last month, had shared the latest proposal with Washington. But the source suggested progress had been difficult.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei later confirmed that Tehran’s views had been “conveyed to the American side through Pakistan” but gave no details.
US President Donald Trump will freeze sanctions on Iranian oil during ongoing nuclear talks, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reports, citing an Iranian source close to the country’s negotiating team. This would represent a new concession by the US.
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control would issue waivers while negotiations continue, according to the report. Earlier, Iran submitted a new 14-point proposal through Pakistan, according to the outlet.
Separately, a senior Iranian source tells Reuters that Washington has also shown flexibility on allowing Iran to maintain limited peaceful nuclear activities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
In its new proposal, the source says, Iran has again focused on securing an end to the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and lifting maritime sanctions.
The more contentious issues around Iran’s nuclear program and uranium enrichment, which remain the most difficult parts of the negotiations, have been deferred to later rounds of talks.
A fragile ceasefire is in place after six weeks of war that followed US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, but talks mediated by Pakistan have stalled and US President Donald Trump has said the ceasefire is “on life support.”
The Pakistani source gave no details of the revised proposal. Asked if it would take time to close gaps, the source said the sides “keep changing their goalposts” and added: “We don’t have much time.”
Washington has urged Tehran to dismantle its nuclear program and lift an effective blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply.
Iran has demanded compensation for war damage, an end to a US blockade of Iranian ports and a halt to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, where Israel is battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social at the weekend that “the Clock is Ticking” for Iran, adding that “they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”
Trump is expected to meet top national security advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for resuming military action, Axios reported.
Issues holding up negotiations also include Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The US and other major powers want to ensure that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons.
Tehran denies trying to do so, and also wants compensation for war damage, a guarantee that there will be no further attacks, and resumption of Iranian oil sales.
Baghaei said Tehran was prepared for all scenarios.
“As for their threats, rest assured that we are fully aware of how to respond appropriately to even the smallest mistake from the opposing side,” he told a televised weekly press conference.
Midterm elections loom
Hostilities have been scaled down since the ceasefire came into effect in April, but drones have been launched from Iran toward Gulf countries hosting US military bases.
One drone strike caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, officials there said on Sunday, and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting three drones.
Iran stepped up attacks on the UAE this month after Trump announced a naval mission to try to open the Strait of Hormuz, which he suspended after 48 hours.
Global share markets slipped on Monday as the latest drone attacks pushed oil prices and bond yields higher, stoking inflation worries.
Trump, who faces midterm elections in November that carry political risks for his Republican Party, held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week without securing an indication from China that it would help resolve the conflict. The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has caused the biggest oil supply crisis in history, increasing crude prices by 50 percent or more.
Some White House officials worry that Trump’s foreign policy gamble and its effect on US gasoline prices may derail Republican chances of keeping control of Congress at a time when war-wary voters are more concerned with the cost of living than conflicts abroad.
