A New Hope for Peace
In a dramatic turn of events, US President Donald Trump has announced that he is delaying a planned military strike on Iran. This decision comes as "serious negotiations" are taking place to end the ongoing conflict. According to Trump, Iran has sent a peace proposal to Washington, and there is a possibility that an agreement could be reached without resorting to violence.
The Delayed Strike
Trump made this announcement at the White House on Monday evening, following a social media post where he first revealed the plan to delay the attack. He mentioned that he had initially planned "a very major attack," but he decided to hold off for "a little while, hopefully, maybe forever." The president stated that America's Gulf allies requested a delay of two to three days, believing they were close to a deal with Iran.
The Peace Proposal
After receiving a new peace proposal from Iran, Trump instructed the US military to refrain from the scheduled attack on Iran. However, he also emphasized that the military should remain prepared for a full-scale assault if an acceptable deal is not reached. Although no previous attack had been officially announced, Reuters could not confirm whether preparations had been made for such a strike.
Pressure for a Deal
Under pressure to reach an accord that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump has previously expressed hope that a deal was close to ending the war. He also threatened heavy strikes on Iran if Tehran did not reach a deal. In his post, Trump mentioned that leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates had requested a delay in the attack, stating that "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."
Focus on Nuclear Issues
Speaking to reporters later, Trump emphasized that the United States would be satisfied if it could reach an agreement with Iran that prevents Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He reiterated his hope that a deal could be reached without resorting to bombing.
Iranian Response
Iran confirmed that its views had been conveyed to the American side through Pakistan. A Pakistani source confirmed that Islamabad had shared the latest proposal with Washington, but progress was described as difficult. The source noted that both sides "keep changing their goalposts," adding that "we don’t have much time."
Defiant Statements from Iran
Despite the potential for a deal, Iran remained defiant in statements issued on state media. They warned the US and its allies against making any further "strategic mistakes or miscalculations" in attacking Iran. Iran also claimed that its armed forces are "more prepared and stronger than in the past."
Military Readiness
Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, stated that Iran’s armed forces are "ready to pull the trigger" in the event of any renewed US attack. The commander of Khatam Al-Anbiya, Ali Abdollahi, was quoted as saying that any renewed aggression and invasion would be responded to quickly, decisively, powerfully, and extensively.
Possible Concessions
In an apparent softening of Washington’s stance, a senior Iranian source mentioned that the United States had agreed to release a quarter of Iran’s frozen funds—totaling tens of billions of dollars—held in foreign banks. Iran wants all the assets released. The Iranian source also said Washington had shown more flexibility in allowing Iran to continue some peaceful nuclear activity under supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Uncertainty Surrounding Reports
The US has not confirmed any agreements in the talks. Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted an unidentified source as saying the US had agreed to waive oil sanctions on Iran while negotiations were under way. However, Iranian officials did not immediately comment on the report, and a US official, who declined to be named, called it false.
Current Situation
A fragile ceasefire is in place after six weeks of war that followed US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Drones have been launched from Iraq toward Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, apparently by Iran and its allies. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry condemned a drone attack on Sunday, in which Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted three drones that entered the country from Iraqi airspace.
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