Trump Delays Iran Strikes After Gulf Allies Urge Talks

Rising energy costs and the risk of wider conflict in the Middle East gave fresh urgency to President Donald Trump’s decision to postpone planned strikes on Iran. Gulf leaders pressed for time to pursue a deal that would remove Iran’s nuclear weapons threat without immediate military action.

Trump announced the pause on Truth Social after receiving requests from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He stated that serious negotiations were under way and that a deal acceptable to the United States could be reached. At the same time he directed the Pentagon to remain ready for a large-scale assault if talks fail.

Iran responded through its president and state media. Masoud Pezeshkian said dialogue does not equal surrender and that Tehran would enter talks while preserving national rights. Iranian state outlets reported a revised 14-point proposal delivered via Pakistani mediators, though the status of core disputes over uranium enrichment limits and control of the Strait of Hormuz remained unclear.

Hostilities in the region continued on other fronts. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 3,000 people since March, according to Lebanese health authorities, even after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire extension. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed strikes against armed groups near the Iraqi border and signaled possible new restrictions on subsea cables in the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent extended a sanctions waiver on Russian oil shipments for 30 days to ease pressure on global energy markets. American officials have not confirmed whether the latest Iranian proposal addresses demands for limits on enrichment or the handover of existing stockpiles.