Trump cancels Iran attack and claims peace deal is close

Donald Trump says he has pulled back from a major assault on Iran because a peace deal may be close.

The US president announced on Truth Social late on Saturday night that he had paused the attack, which he had claimed would include the heaviest strikes of the war, at Tehran’s request, “subject to being able to rapidly make a deal”.

Mr Trump said: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.

“This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.”

He added that he had agreed to Tehran’s proposal “for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran”.

However, Mr Trump warned the Iranian regime that the US remained “locked and loaded and ready to go”.

On Friday, Mr Trump ordered fresh attacks targeting energy infrastructure, which had been planned to begin this weekend and last a few days and were designed to force Iran back to the negotiating table.

It was reported on Saturday that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince had urged the White House not to carry out the attacks.

Prince Mohammed Bin Salman asked Mr Trump in a phone call to de-escalate and refrain from launching the strikes, according to Axios.

The attacks, which were to be co-ordinated with Israel, had been expected to target Pickaxe Mountain, where Israeli intelligence claims Iran has hidden centrifuges to make uranium, which could be used to make nuclear weapons.

Mr Trump insists Iran must give up its nuclear programme, as well as its control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier this week, he had said “very friendly negotiations” were under way, leading to a pause in the fighting. That pause ended after an Iranian surprise attack in Jordan and a US retaliatory strike.

Several US embassies in the Middle East warned Americans on Saturday of an “unforeseen escalation” if the US launched its assault.

Embassies in Baghdad, Jerusalem and Amman had encouraged Americans to “consider departing” and stay clear of US bases.

Despite the threat of new attacks, the top US general in Europe privately warned the Pentagon that he lacks equipment to protect Israel from incoming missiles, the Washington Post reported.

General Aexus Grynkewich, the head of US European Command, told officials that without another Navy destroyer, he will be forced to choose defence of the United States “homeland” over that of Israel.

This week, Iran and the US resumed overnight exchanges of fire after a days-long lull in fighting although there were no reported strikes overnight on Friday.

On Friday, Mr Trump accused the Iranians of being “very dishonourable” and of having broken their word in previous talks.

Tehran has shown no sign of agreeing to his demands. Some officials believe they plan to string out the negotiations in the hope that Mr Trump backs down in the face of rising domestic opposition to the war.

Iran’s military accused the US of “escalating tensions” in the Middle East on Saturday and warned countries in the region against co-operating with Washington during the ongoing conflict.

“The United States is rapidly moving down the path of escalating tensions in the region,” said Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s military central command.

“Any country serving as a defensive shield for criminal and aggressive America will be engulfed by the flames of war,” he said on state television.

⁠Kuwait’s army said on Saturday that ‌it had detected and destroyed hostile drones in the country’s airspace since dawn, ‌and ‌an alleged Iranian attack had targeted several vital facilities.

A government facility in ‌northern Kuwait and civilian property belonging ‌to a company ⁠on Bubiyan Island ⁠were hit, it said, adding that falling shrapnel ‌caused material damage but ⁠no casualties.

A tanker was also struck by an “unknown projectile” off the coast of Oman, a British maritime agency said on Saturday, as tensions ran high in the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessel reported it was “struck by an unknown projectile which has caused damage to the engine room”, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said, adding no injuries were reported in the incident around 12 miles off the coast.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]