WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump has revealed that a proposed military strike against Iran was postponed following urgent diplomatic requests from Gulf leaders seeking more time for negotiations with Tehran.
In this regard, President Trump stated that the military operation had been scheduled for Tuesday and that all necessary military preparations had already been completed. However, the planned strike was delayed after key Gulf allies assured Washington that serious diplomatic efforts with Iran were currently underway.
President Trump said that the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, personally urged the United States to allow ongoing negotiations to continue.
The US president expressed optimism that a possible agreement could still be reached that would be acceptable to the United States, Middle Eastern countries, and other international stakeholders.
He focused on that the central condition of any future agreement would be ensuring that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons.
In this sense, Trump further disclosed that he had instructed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior military officials to halt the military action for the time being. However, he also issued a strong warning that if a satisfactory agreement is not achieved, the US military remains prepared to launch action against Iran at any moment.
Meanwhile, the reports in American and Western media claimed that the US military had prepared multiple options for both limited and large-scale military operations against Iran.
There are certain reports also suggested that the US Navy and Air Force had been placed on high alert in the Gulf region, while Israel was reportedly considering participation in a possible joint operation.
The latest developments are being closely monitored worldwide as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.
