Trump Cancels Iran Attack, Calls for Immediate Peace Deal After Allies Make Unusual Request

Trump Suspends Planned Strike on Iran After Requests from Tehran and Regional Governments for De-escalation

President Donald Trump stated on August 2, 2026, that he had agreed to cancel a planned U.S. military strike on Iran after receiving requests from Iranian officials and several Middle Eastern governments to pause action while terms for a potential agreement were discussed. In a Truth Social post, Trump described U.S. forces as prepared to respond at a scale not seen since World War II but said he had accepted the request to allow negotiations.

Trump specified that any deal would require the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the termination of Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The announcement followed an Iranian missile attack on U.S. forces earlier in the week. U.S. defenses intercepted the missiles, and American forces subsequently struck Iranian-linked proxies in Iraq that had participated in attacks on U.S. personnel.

The sequence began with the Iranian strike on Tuesday. U.S. officials reported that all incoming missiles were defeated and that retaliatory action targeted proxy groups involved in the operation. On Saturday, Trump’s statement indicated that Iran and other regional states had asked for a pause on further U.S. action because parameters for a deal had been reached.

Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman conveyed concerns about escalation during a phone call with U.S. officials. The report stated that the Saudi position favoring de-escalation was communicated after a meeting between the Saudi minister and Vice President Vance. Axios also noted that Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Pakistan had urged both the United States and Iran to reduce tensions.

An AP-NORC poll released around the same period found that roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults did not view continued military action against Iran as worth the cost. Support for ongoing operations stood at about 20 percent overall. Approximately 30 percent favored pausing strikes to pursue a renewed ceasefire through negotiations, while 20 percent supported ending military action entirely. One-quarter of respondents said they lacked sufficient information to form an opinion.

The same poll showed that about half of Republicans supported continuing military action, with higher rates among those identifying as very conservative. Republicans aligned with the Make America Great Again movement were more likely than other Republicans to favor sustained operations. The survey also recorded that 80 percent of respondents expressed concern about Iran’s nuclear program.

Trump’s decision to suspend the strike occurred against this backdrop of domestic polling and diplomatic communications from multiple governments. The White House statement left open the possibility of renewed military action if negotiations did not produce an agreement meeting the stated conditions on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear activities.

Regional governments cited risks of wider conflict as a factor in their requests. Iranian officials had previously signaled interest in talks that would address sanctions relief and security guarantees. U.S. military planners had prepared options that included strikes on Iranian military and nuclear-related sites, according to statements from administration officials.

The developments unfolded less than four months before the November midterm elections. Public opinion data on the conflict showed partisan divisions, with majorities of Democrats and independents opposing continued operations and a narrower split among Republicans.