Trump says US 'held off' planned attack on Iran after appeals from Gulf leaders
Washington DC, May 19
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he has put a "planned attack" on Iran on hold after appeals from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The US president further mentioned that they are "prepared to go forward with a full, large-scale assault" on Iran.
In a long Truth Social post, President Trump stated that Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan requested him to delay the scheduled American attack on Iran, as "serious negotiations" were still underway with the country.
President Trump stressed that the US had "planned" military action against Iran on Tuesday; however, it was delayed after the intervention of Gulf leaders in the hope of a peace deal with Tehran.
"I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and the president of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to hold off on our planned military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow, in that serious negotiations are now taking place, and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond," said Trump.
"This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN! Based on my respect for the above mentioned Leaders, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, The Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Daniel Caine, and The United States Military, that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran. tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached," he added.
This comes after President Trump turned down Iran's peace proposal to stop the ongoing West Asia crisis, saying that it falls short of expectations and does not represent any meaningful progress towards a deal, according to Axios, citing a senior US official and a source briefed on the matter.
The development comes at a sensitive moment, with Washington weighing both diplomatic and military options as tensions over Iran's nuclear programme continue to escalate. US officials say President Donald Trump is still seeking a negotiated settlement but is increasingly frustrated by Tehran's refusal to accept what Washington considers essential concessions.
Iran's latest counter-proposal was reportedly delivered on Sunday night through Pakistani mediators. According to a senior US official quoted by Axios, the revised text contains only limited changes compared to previous submissions.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, I'm glad the Gulf nations stepped in. As an Indian who relies on oil imports from this region, war would destabilize global energy markets and affect our economy directly. But let's not pretend Trump is being merciful - he's just posturing for his base. The "full large-scale assault" threat is pure brinkmanship.
Observe the irony: Trump rejected Iran's peace proposal through Pakistan, then delays attack due to Gulf leaders' appeal. This is classic diplomacy theatre - saving face while keeping both options open. India should learn from this - never trust US promises of "negotiations" when they keep military options on the table. 🤔
As a Westerner who follows Indian news, I find this fascinating. India has strong ties with Iran historically but also deep relationships with Gulf states. This situation must be delicate for India's foreign policy - balancing energy security from Iran against strategic partnerships with Saudi and UAE. Diplomacy is the only sane option here.
I'm just an ordinary Indian, but this constant threat of war in Middle East makes me worry about our NRIs working there. So many Indians in UAE, Saudi, Qatar... another conflict could put their lives at risk. Gulf leaders did the right thing appealing for peace. War should never be the first option. 🙏
Trump calling Hegseth "Secretary of War" instead of Defense Secretary says it all. This administration loves projecting strength through military threats. But Indian strategic thinkers know that Iran's nuclear ambitions are complex - sanctions and war haven't worked for decades. Only genuine dialogue (not the US version of "take
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