Trump says US 'locked and loaded' but will hold off on fresh Iran attack in hope of quick deal

Lead

President Donald Trump said the United States and Israel have agreed to halt new attacks on Iran, provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is reached rapidly. In a series of social media posts, Trump said Iran and other Middle Eastern countries asked him to hold off on strikes because “the perimeters of a deal” had been agreed. The potential agreement, he wrote, would include “the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.”

“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He added that Israel “joins me in this commitment,” though Israel did not immediately make a public statement.

Coverage Comparison

Al Jazeera, Dawn, and The Guardian — World all covered the announcement, though with slightly different emphases. Al Jazeera’s reporting framed the move as a halt to attacks and highlighted Trump’s statement that the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran” but chose to hold off. Dawn emphasized that Iran and other regional countries requested time to complete a deal, which would lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat. The Guardian — World focused on Trump’s warning that the US would return to “strong military action” if diplomatic efforts do not bring a rapid resolution, quoting the president as saying, “Not much time. Either it goes fast or not at all.”

Key Claims

• Trump said he agreed to cancel the attack subject to being able to rapidly make a deal, as reported by Al Jazeera, Dawn, and The Guardian — World.
• Iran denied Trump’s claim that Tehran asked the US to refrain from conducting new strikes. Citing military officials, an Iranian agency said the allegation “was nothing but a new lie” and that the armed forces were “on high alert and ready for any eventuality,” according to Al Jazeera.
• The Strait of Hormuz remains shut, and shipping is disrupted, according to Al Jazeera. Iranian authorities have said ships can only pass through the waterway if Iran’s armed forces allow, and the same will remain true for a southern corridor through Oman’s territorial waters.
• Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen have begun threatening the Bab al-Mandeb, as reported by Al Jazeera, adding to regional shipping disruptions.
• Iran warned the US against any adventurous action and said it would retaliate decisively if American forces followed through on Trump’s threats, according to Dawn and Al Jazeera.
• Oman and Iran drew closer to an agreement in principle on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by The Guardian — World, but remained unable to resolve Tehran’s demand that all ships passing through pay a transit fee to a consortium led by the two countries.
• The US continues to encourage commercial shipping to test the strength of the Iranian blockade, according to The Guardian — World.
• Trump warned that the US will return to strong military action if diplomatic efforts do not bring a rapid resolution, as reported by The Guardian — World.
• Tehran said there were no direct talks with the US to end the conflict, as reported by The Guardian — World. A foreign ministry spokesperson said, “Mediators may convey messages from the American side to us regarding current developments in the region. But at present we are not engaged in any negotiations with the United States.”

Perspectives

Iranian government: Iran denies asking the US to halt strikes and says it is not in direct negotiations with Washington. Officials have warned of decisive retaliation against any aggression, with acting Defence Minister Majid Ebn-e-Reza calling Trump’s pullback comment part of “psychological operations and a war of calculations.” Iran’s wartime military command has threatened tit-for-tat strikes against US and other interests if Washington attacks civilian infrastructure.

US administration: President Trump frames the halt as a response to a request from Iran and regional countries, asserting that the perimeters of a deal have been agreed. He has stressed that the US is “locked and loaded” and will resume “very strong military action” if the talks do not succeed quickly.

Saudi Arabia: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump before the announcement, with state media saying he stressed the need to prioritise dialogue “to reduce escalation and the importance of making every possible effort to achieve calm that paves the way for diplomatic solution.”

Oman: Omani officials have been engaged with Iran in technical talks over the future management of the Strait of Hormuz, moving closer to an agreement in principle but still facing disagreements over transit fees.