Donald Trump Delays Planned Iran Strike After Gulf Nations Push for Diplomacy

Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he temporarily halted a planned military strike on Iran after urgent appeals from Gulf countries seeking additional time for diplomatic negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Speaking during a healthcare event at the White House, Trump revealed that the United States had been prepared to carry out a “very major attack” on Iran as early as Tuesday. However, he decided to postpone the action after requests from leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump said Gulf leaders conveyed that talks with Iran were nearing a possible breakthrough and requested a short delay to allow diplomacy to continue. According to him, the US has also informed Israel and other regional allies about the temporary pause.

The US President maintained that Washington’s core objective remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He added that while the United States is prepared to take military action if necessary, a diplomatic resolution would be preferable.

Trump further claimed that recent military operations had significantly weakened Iran’s military structure and leadership, though he did not provide specific details.

Reports by Axios said Trump has instructed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior military officials to remain prepared for a possible full-scale assault if negotiations fail.

The latest development comes amid months of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear activities and its role in regional conflicts. Gulf nations, many of which host major American military bases, have repeatedly expressed concern that any large-scale confrontation could destabilise the Middle East and disrupt global energy markets.

With inputs from IANS