US President Donald Trump has pulled back from ordering fresh military strikes against Iran, announcing he has agreed to stand down American forces after Middle East allies indicated the parameters of a potential deal were within reach — a decision that came shortly after a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who expressed serious concern about Iranian retaliation against Gulf energy infrastructure.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, saying the emerging agreement would include the "Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran's nuclear threat." He added that Israel had also agreed to join the United States in committing to pursue the deal.
"Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL," Trump wrote.
Saudi Arabia's Intervention Shapes Trump's Decision
Before Trump's announcement, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with the US president by phone on Saturday, raising concerns about the potential for a significant escalation. According to a person familiar with the discussion, the Saudi leader sought clarity on what new action Trump was considering against Iran, and warned that Tehran could respond by targeting the energy infrastructure of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
A White House official confirmed the two leaders spoke on Saturday but declined to provide further detail. The official was not authorised to comment publicly.
The Saudi intervention adds a significant diplomatic dimension to a conflict that has been reshaping the Middle East over the past five months. Riyadh's vulnerability to Iranian retaliation — particularly against its oil facilities — has long been a central concern in any potential escalation of hostilities involving Tehran.
Trump Had Threatened Harder Strikes Just Days Earlier
The about-face is striking given the intensity of Trump's rhetoric in the lead-up to the decision. Speaking to reporters at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland on Friday, Trump had threatened to hit Iran "very hard" until it could not "take it anymore," declaring that the United States simply wanted to "win" in Iran.
Later on Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt underscored the administration's frustration, pointing to Iran having signed a memorandum of understanding on a truce last month before allegedly breaking it, firing on commercial ships and killing American soldiers.
Those comments came as Kuwait reported responding to a new round of Iranian drone attacks, and as a tanker was struck in the Strait of Hormuz — the critical waterway through which a significant portion of the world's oil supply passes. For further background on how the conflict escalated to this point, see our earlier coverage of Trump's threats of fresh strikes after a ceasefire collapsed.
Iran Warns It Will Not Be Caught Off Guard
Tehran has responded defiantly to the shifting situation. Iran's Acting Defence Minister Majid Ibn al-Reza said on Sunday that his country viewed every threat from its adversaries as "real and credible," even if made as part of psychological warfare.
"We will neither be caught off guard nor remain passive," al-Reza said, according to Iranian state media. He added that Tehran would treat threats as a basis to increase military readiness, strengthen deterrence and enhance its overall military capabilities.
The statement signals that Iran is not treating Trump's announcement as a full de-escalation, but rather as a temporary pause requiring continued vigilance on its part.
Deal Parameters Remain Unclear, War Continues Elsewhere
While Trump described the deal's broad outlines — centred on the Hormuz Strait and Iran's nuclear program — no detailed framework has been publicly released, and it remains subject to further negotiation. Trump himself noted the cancellation of the attack was conditional on being able "to rapidly make a DEAL," leaving open the possibility that strikes could resume if talks stall.
Meanwhile, the broader conflict in the region continued on multiple fronts, with Israel carrying out heavy strikes on the Gaza Strip after Hamas agreed to disarm. The situation across the Gulf and wider Middle East remains highly fluid, and the fragility of previous ceasefire arrangements has left regional powers on edge about what comes next.
No timeline has been publicly set for when a formal agreement might be reached, and both Washington and Tehran appear to be using the pause to gauge each other's resolve before committing to a more durable arrangement.
