U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he halted a planned military strike against Iran after Tehran delivered a new peace proposal through Pakistan, signaling what he described as a “very good chance” of reaching an agreement over Iran’s nuclear program amid fragile regional calm.
Trump revealed he had instructed the U.S. military to suspend a scheduled operation against Iran while negotiations continue, but warned forces remain on standby for a “full, large scale assault” should talks collapse.
“We will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow,” Trump wrote, adding that military preparations remain active in case “an acceptable Deal is not reached.”
Reuters said no such operation had previously been publicly announced, and it remained unclear whether preparations for renewed strikes had been underway following the conflict launched after U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran earlier this year.
Speaking later to reporters, Trump said Washington’s primary objective remained preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“There seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out. If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I would be very happy,” he said.
Trump also said leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had urged restraint, arguing a diplomatic solution remained within reach. He did not provide details on the proposed agreement.
The remarks followed confirmation from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei that Tehran had communicated its latest position to Washington through Pakistan, which has acted as an intermediary during the crisis and hosted earlier peace talks. Pakistani sources familiar with the process described negotiations as difficult and warned time was running short.
Despite renewed diplomacy, Iran maintained a defiant tone.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command warned that its armed forces were prepared to respond to any renewed U.S. action, with officials saying Iran was “ready to pull the trigger” if attacks resumed. Iranian commanders warned any new assault would be met with a “quick, decisive and extensive” response.
According to Iranian sources cited by Reuters, Tehran’s latest proposal focuses on ending hostilities, reopening the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global oil route disrupted by the conflict — and easing sanctions. The proposal reportedly resembles an earlier Iranian offer previously rejected by Trump.
Iranian sources also claimed Washington had softened its position by agreeing to release part of Tehran’s frozen overseas assets and allowing limited peaceful nuclear activity under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision. The United States has not publicly confirmed those claims.
Separately, Iran’s Tasnim agency reported Washington could temporarily ease oil sanctions during negotiations, though a U.S. official dismissed the report as false.
A fragile ceasefire remains in place after six weeks of fighting, although regional tensions persist following reported drone launches from Iraq toward Gulf states including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Saudi authorities said they intercepted three drones entering from Iraqi airspace over the weekend.