Trump says he will delay Iran attack if deal quickly reopens Strait of Hormuz

Washington, United States. US President Donald Trump said late on Saturday that he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran if a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had requested time to complete an agreement, adding that Israel supported the commitment. Iran warned it would respond to any further US action.

Trump’s conditions for a deal

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that Iran and “other Middle Eastern Countries” had asked for time to complete a deal leading to the “Immediate, Complete and Total” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,” he wrote.

Trump said Israel “joins me in this commitment.” Israel did not immediately issue a public statement.

Iranian warnings

Iran warned the United States against any “adventurous action” and said it would retaliate decisively if American forces carried out further attacks on Iranian targets.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi made the comments during separate calls on Saturday with Turkish, Pakistani and Saudi officials, according to his Telegram account.

In calls with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Araqchi said Iran would respond decisively to any “aggression.” He also discussed what Iran described as destabilising US actions and the prospect of greater regional insecurity.

Araqchi later told Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan that US and Israeli attacks, or participation by regional countries in such actions, would receive a “proportionate response.”

Regional concerns

Kuwait’s army said on Saturday that it had destroyed hostile drones launched by Iran against several vital facilities.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump on Saturday. A US official told Axios that the crown prince expressed concern and sought clarity over US plans for Iran. A White House official confirmed to Reuters that the two leaders had spoken but provided no further details.

Nournews, a media outlet affiliated with Iran’s top security body, said that US attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure would prompt Iranian strikes on oil fields in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as gas fields in Qatar and Israel.

US negotiations

At a cabinet meeting on Friday at the Camp David retreat, Trump said he believed US negotiators could still reach an agreement with Iran.

He named his son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio among those involved in the negotiations.