President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that a new round of talks with Iran is scheduled to begin on Monday afternoon, following his decision to cancel a planned military strike against the country. The announcement came as the United States and Iran navigate ongoing negotiations aimed at addressing the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.
While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump described the circumstances surrounding the decision to call off the planned attack. “I was asked by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and by Iran. We were all set to go. Just about at this time. Right now. The reason they asked is they think there’s a deal. They said we’d like to make a deal now. You know, I don’t know what they say because a lot of times they’ll say that for me. Obviously they don’t want to be attacked,” the president said.
“Obviously, we were talking to them and that negotiations were planned for ‘tomorrow afternoon.’ It would be the biggest attack since World War II. It would have been disastrous for them,” he added.
The planned operation, which has been described as a joint U.S.-Israeli strike targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure, had been prepared for late Saturday night. Trump stated that he agreed to hold off after receiving requests from regional parties indicating parameters for an agreement had been reached.
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BREAKING: @POTUS says the U.S. had an attack on Iran planned that would’ve been the biggest “since World War II” before Iran reached out seeking a deal.
The president told reporters on Air Force One that negotiations are set for Monday afternoon and that a peace deal would “save… pic.twitter.com/Oh9wHC3vGR
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“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the parameters 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,” the president posted on Truth Social late Saturday night.
Trump further elaborated on the prospective agreement during his remarks on Air Force One. “The deal is imminent, having to do with the Hormuz Strait and also, ultimately, the denuclearization of Iran. When I hear that, I say, ‘Well, we want to go and do this.’ There is a group of people that would like to just do it. And there’s another group of people that does not want me to do it,” he said, noting fractures within the Iranian regime.
“We would much prefer a deal as opposed to an attack because you don’t know where these attacks lead… will they be flooded with people pouring into their country? A disaster. There are a lot of bad things that can happen.”
The latest developments come as the conflict drags through its sixth month. The two sides have engaged in hostilities with regularity over the last several weeks, which follows the collapse of a previously agreed upon ceasefire and memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was supposed to provide time for further negotiations.
