U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States and Israel have agreed to suspend further military strikes on Iran, provided a peace deal to end the months-long conflict is reached swiftly.
The announcement comes amid growing fears of a renewed escalation after Trump had earlier warned that the U.S. was prepared to launch fresh attacks on Iran, including possible strikes on key energy infrastructure.
According to Trump, the decision followed diplomatic engagements involving Saudi Arabia and other regional mediators, although he maintained that the U.S. remained ready to act if negotiations failed.
“The United States was locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, but we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern countries, to hold off any attack,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the world and the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a deal,” he added.
Iran, however, denied Trump’s claim. The country’s Mehr News Agency, citing military officials, described the statement as “nothing but a new lie,” insisting that Tehran had not requested any pause in military action and that its armed forces remained on high alert.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran held separate talks with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey as part of diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing further escalation in the region.
Saudi Arabia’s state news agency also confirmed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump, stressing the need for dialogue, de-escalation and a truce that could pave the way for a diplomatic solution.
Trump said any agreement must include the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear programme, adding that Israel supports the proposed conditions.
The conflict, which began on February 28 after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Tehran, has continued for more than five months despite previous ceasefire attempts.
An earlier truce collapsed after disagreements over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran tightening its control over the strategic waterway. Iranian media quoted sources close to negotiators as saying the strait would remain closed as long as the United States maintained what Tehran described as hostile actions.
The renewed tensions have pushed global oil prices higher and raised concerns over international shipping, with maritime tracking firms reporting a sharp decline in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States has also advised its citizens across the Middle East to remain alert for possible escalation and be prepared to leave if necessary.
Although no military strikes were reported between Friday and Sunday, recent incidents have heightened regional tensions. A drone attack caused a fire on a U.S.-owned gas vessel docked at an Egyptian port, while an unidentified projectile struck a tanker off the coast of Oman.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels denied reports that they intended to charge ships for passage through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another vital maritime route linking the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.
