Trump calls off Tuesday plan to attack Iran at request of Gulf allies; warns US ready for full-scale assault
US President Donald Trump did not offer details about the planned attack but said he instructed the US military "to 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.
US President Donald Trump said that he has postponed a 'planned military strike' on Iran for Tuesday after requests from key Gulf leaders and because 'serious negotiations' are underway that could lead to an agreement aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Trump's announcement in a social media post Monday (local time) came as he had threatened that the clock was ticking for Iran to strike a deal or fighting would renew after a fragile ceasefire.
Serious negotiations are now taking place: Trump
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan urged him to delay a scheduled American attack on Iran because "serious negotiations" were now underway.
The US President further said that the proposed agreement would ensure "NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN".
Trump warns US ready for full-scale assault
Trump also warned of a large-scale assault if the deal failed to materialise. The President did not offer details about the planned attack but said he instructed the US military "to 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."
"I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, The Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Daniel Caine, and The United States Military, that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to 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," he added.
Trump had not previously disclosed that he was planning a strike for May 19. However, over the weekend, he warned Iran that "the clock is ticking," saying, "For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them."
He has for weeks threatened that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could collapse if Iran failed to agree to a deal, while the conditions and parameters for such an agreement have continued to shift amid ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Trump, in recent days, has also spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese President Xi Jinping about the Iran war.
US continues to enforce blockade against Iranian ports
Meanwhile, the United States Central Command on Monday said that it continues to strictly enforce the US blockade against Iranian ports. "CENTCOM continues to strictly enforce the US blockade against Iranian ports. U.S. forces have now redirected 85 commercial vessels to ensure full compliance," CENTCOM said in a post on X.
Earlier, President Trump turned down Iran's peace proposal to stop the ongoing West Asia crisis, saying that it falls short of expectations and does not represent any meaningful progress towards a deal, according to Axios, citing a senior US official and a source briefed on the matter.
The development comes at a sensitive moment, with Washington weighing both diplomatic and military options as tensions over Iran's nuclear programme continue to escalate. US officials say President Donald Trump is still seeking a negotiated settlement but is increasingly frustrated by Tehran's refusal to accept what Washington considers essential concessions.
Iran's latest counter-proposal was reportedly delivered on Sunday night through Pakistani mediators. According to a senior US official quoted by Axios, the revised text contains only limited changes compared to previous submissions.
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