Trump said Gulf nations requested a brief pause in planned US military action against Iran as diplomatic efforts intensified over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
US President Donald Trump.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said he had temporarily held back a planned military strike on Iran after Gulf countries urged Washington to allow more time for ongoing negotiations with Tehran.
The remarks come at a critical stage in the West Asia crisis, with the United States weighing military action even as regional powers push for a diplomatic breakthrough over Iran’s nuclear programme. Trump indicated that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and other countries believed talks were nearing a possible agreement.
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Speaking to reporters, Trump said he agreed to postpone the operation for “two or three days” after receiving direct requests from Gulf leaders.
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“I put it off for a little while, hopefully maybe forever,” Trump said. “Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and some others think they are getting very close to making a deal.”
The US President, however, made it clear that Washington remained prepared to act militarily if negotiations collapsed.
“We’re not going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, adding that he would prefer a diplomatic outcome “without bombing the hell out of them.”
Trump also revealed that several countries were in direct contact with both American officials and Iran in an attempt to reduce tensions.
“I was called by these three countries, plus others, and they’re dealing directly with our people and right now, Iran,” he said. “There seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out.”
Referring to his recent interaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said Xi had praised the strength of the US military.
“President Xi was very complimentary of our military,” he said.
The developments follow reports that Iran recently submitted a revised peace proposal through Pakistani mediators. According to Axios, the proposal was rejected by the Trump administration, which reportedly felt Tehran had failed to make meaningful concessions.
Trump also claimed recent US military operations had significantly weakened Iran’s military establishment.
“We’ve totally destroyed their military,” he said. “Their leaders are gone at the first level.”
Even as diplomatic efforts intensified, the United States Central Command said American forces continued enforcing the blockade on Iranian ports.
“CENTCOM continues to strictly enforce the U.S. blockade against Iranian ports. U.S. forces have now redirected 85 commercial vessels to ensure full compliance,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
According to reports, Trump has instructed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior military commanders to remain prepared for a possible large-scale military assault if talks fail.
The crisis has raised concerns across the Gulf region, where several countries host major US military bases and fear that a wider conflict could destabilise West Asia and disrupt global energy supplies.
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