"This is Iran's last chance": Trump says US paused planned attack after calls from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar
Washington DC, August 4
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that Iran has been given a "last chance" to reach an agreement, claiming that Washington paused a planned military strike after receiving requests from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Iran to pursue diplomacy instead.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office after signing an Executive Order establishing the first-ever Presidential Military Spouse Commission, Trump asserted that the United States was prepared to launch a major military operation against Iran before diplomatic outreach prompted a pause.
"This is a last chance. This is not something that if it doesn't happen, this is a last chance for them to sign a good document," Trump said while discussing ongoing talks with Tehran.
Claiming that negotiations were underway at Iran's request, Trump said, "We are talking right now, we're talking and we're talking at the request of Iran, backed by Saudi Arabia, backed by UAE, and backed by Qatar in particular, but others also. Many countries called... they all wanted to give this a last chance."
The US President alleged that Iran had previously denied engaging in discussions despite holding extensive meetings with American officials.
"It's an amazing thing... we have many talks... they'll sometimes deny it, even though they've spent hours and hours together talking. But the talks are going along," he said.
Trump further claimed that the United States had been ready to carry out a large-scale strike against Iran before the diplomatic intervention.
"We were going to hit them very hard yesterday, very, very hard, harder than any attack... since World War II. We were set to go and they called and, in addition, Saudi Arabia called, UAE called, Qatar called. I got calls from numerous people," Trump said.
"Now, I don't want to use the word begging, but some were in particular. Iran did not want to be hit. And they said we want to talk... more importantly, from my standpoint, we want to talk about the de-nuclearization of Iran because that's what it's all about," he added.
Reiterating that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remained Washington's primary objective, Trump said previous administrations and other countries had failed to resolve the issue over decades.
"It should have been done... for 50 years... nobody did it. And it was time," he said.
Trump also referred to previous US military operations against Iran, claiming they had significantly degraded Tehran's nuclear capabilities.
"We hit them hard with the B2s more than a year ago now and that knocked out their capability... and we've done a great job," he said.
Earlier on Monday, Trump intensified his criticism of Iran in a post on Truth Social, accusing the Iranian leadership of being "unbelievably duplicitous" by seeking talks with Washington while publicly denying negotiations were taking place.
He also reiterated that "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon" and claimed the United States maintained complete control over access through the Strait of Hormuz until an agreement or "total surrender" was achieved.
Trump's remarks came after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected reports of direct or indirect negotiations with the United States, maintaining that Tehran was not engaged in bilateral talks with Washington.
Baghaei also clarified that an understanding between Iran and Oman regarding a new maritime traffic route through the Strait of Hormuz was only a technical arrangement for vessel safety and did not indicate the reopening of the strategic waterway.
Separately, while signing an Executive Order establishing the first-ever Presidential Military Spouse Commission, Trump said the initiative was aimed at strengthening support for military families.
"Thank you for all being here as we take a major new step to support our incredible military families... Today, I'm signing an Executive Order to establish the first-ever Presidential Military Spouse Commission," he said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I don't trust anything Iran says. They've been lying about their nuclear program for decades. Trump is giving them yet another opportunity when he should have already taken action. And what's with these Gulf states interfering? Saudi and UAE have been funding extremism for years — why should we listen to them now? The only language these regimes understand is force. Let's hope Trump doesn't back down again.
As an Indian watching this from afar, I'm genuinely worried. A US-Iran conflict would be catastrophic for the region and for global oil prices. India imports most of its oil from the Gulf and Iran remains a key partner for our energy security. We need diplomacy, not provocation. Trump saying "this is their last chance" sounds like he's creating a trap. The fact that Iran is even considering talks is a good sign—let's hope it's not just another false start. 🙏
Trump says "we were set to go" but then calls from Gulf states made him pause? That's rich. We all know the US military-industrial complex would love a war with Iran—it's a massive business opportunity for defense contractors. And India's foreign policy has been consistent: maintain strategic autonomy, avoid taking sides, and push for de-escalation. Let's hope PM Modi uses India's good offices to encourage dialogue. A peaceful Gulf = stable oil prices = good for India's economy. Simple math.
Interesting how Iran publicly denies talks but allegedly "begs" behind the scenes. That's classic diplomatic maneuvering—you don't want to appear weak to your own people. Meanwhile, Trump keeps changing the goalposts. First it was about nuclear weapons, now it's regime change, now it's about "de-nuclearization." The Gulf states are caught in the middle, playing both sides. From India's perspective, this situation is like a
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