President Donald Trump said Monday he is putting a planned military strike on Iran on ice after leaders of several Gulf states personally urged him to slow things down. The decision, announced on his Truth Social account, landed as negotiators continued trading proposals in a last-ditch push to end the months-long fighting. Trump said the strike had been penciled in for Tuesday and warned that the U.S. military should stay ready to unleash a much larger assault on short notice if talks fall apart.
Trump said the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan all asked him to "hold off" while what he called "serious negotiations" continue, according to Axios. Axios reports the president said any eventual deal would have to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. His post followed an updated Iranian proposal that U.S. officials have judged to be insufficient.
Defense on Standby as Diplomacy Drags On
Trump did not delve into operational details but said he has instructed the Pentagon to be ready "to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice" if negotiators cannot land an acceptable deal, according to The Associated Press. The Associated Press reports the announcement came as the White House geared up for a Situation Room meeting to run through military options. Analysts are already warning that renewed strikes could quickly widen the conflict across the Gulf and rattle global energy supplies.
Regional Pressure and Global Stakes
Gulf leaders, staring down the prospect of chaos in their own backyard, have been pressing both sides to avoid a rapid return to heavy fighting that could choke shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and send oil prices soaring, Al Jazeera notes. Tehran says it has submitted a response to U.S. proposals using a Pakistan-mediated channel, but diplomats say the offer still falls short on key nuclear issues, The Washington Post reports. Markets and global shipping watchers will be keeping a close eye on whether this pause holds or turns out to be a brief timeout.
What to Watch Next
Top national security officials are expected to meet to decide whether to extend the diplomatic runway or pivot back toward the military option, Axios reports. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers remain locked in debate over the legal boundaries of prolonged hostilities under the War Powers Resolution, a fight that has shadowed the campaign since it began. If talks collapse, analysts say to brace for higher oil prices and fresh instability for commercial traffic moving through the Gulf.
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