New twist in the Iran war. After a few days in which Washington had struck hard again at the Islamic Republic, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced that he is freezing attacks to try to seek an agreement. On this occasion, he claims to do so at the request of Tehran and other unspecified countries in the region. And that he has the approval of Israel.
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“The United States is armed and ready to act against the Islamic Republic of Iran, with levels of power, strength, and military terror capability not seen since World War II. Despite this, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries have asked us to postpone any attack, as we have reached the general terms of an agreement,” Trump wrote in a message on his social network, Truth, late Saturday.
The problem with this message is that it sounds familiar. On other occasions, he has announced supposedly imminent agreements that either did not arrive or lasted very little. Furthermore, Trump sets conditions that Iran has previously shown little willingness to meet, such as THE OPENING OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ — the capitals are his — in an “immediate, complete, and total” manner. The pact the Republican talks about also includes Tehran stopping its nuclear ambitions.
When Israel and the United States launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28, they presented it as something surgical intended to last days or weeks. Instead, it has already lasted five months with no short-term end in sight. This new U.S. turn shows the strength of the negotiating position of Tehran’s theocratic regime, which has withstood the attacks and made clear that time is on its side at a moment of growing internal weakness for Trump due to the war’s low popularity and the upcoming midterm elections on November 3.
“In response to this request, I have decided for the future benefit of the WORLD, as well as the survival of a prosperous and successful Iran, to cancel the attack, provided that an AGREEMENT can be reached quickly,” the message adds. The announcement was published after Trump spoke by phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, one of his main allies in the region.
The President of the United States added that Israel “joins this commitment.” The Israeli government has not responded to the U.S. president’s statements.
During the conversation with Trump, the Saudi Crown Prince — known as MBS — emphasized the “need to prioritize dialogue to reduce tension” in the Middle East, according to the official Saudi news agency. A senior White House official confirmed to Reuters that they spoke, although no further details were provided.
The apparent turn toward de-escalation by Trump, after several days of mutual threats of new attacks, represents the latest change in a war started five months ago by the United States and Israel. Since then, the conflict has spread from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea and has even reached a facility located in Egypt, on the Mediterranean coast.
Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz practically closed, through which before the war about 20% of the world’s traded oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) passed. The closure has driven up energy prices and fueled fears of a new inflation spike.
Iran on high alert
In response to Trump’s statements, the semi-official Iranian agency Mehr reported Sunday that Iranian military officials, whose identities were not revealed, called the president’s claim that Tehran had requested to stop the attacks “a new lie” intended to pressure the Arab Gulf states.
According to those sources, Iranian forces remain at the highest level of readiness, regardless of whether the United States decides to escalate the conflict or withdraw. They also warned that if confrontation becomes inevitable, the battlefield will determine the outcome.
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Tehran had previously warned Washington against any “adventurous action” and assured it would respond forcefully to any new attack on Iranian territory.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi explained that during phone conversations held Saturday with senior officials from Turkey and Pakistan, he reiterated that Iran will respond firmly to any “aggression” and analyzed the consequences of the United States’ “destabilizing actions,” as well as the risk of further deterioration of regional security. The minister himself reported these conversations on his Telegram channel.
Hours earlier, the Kuwaiti army had announced the shooting down of drones launched by Iran against several installations considered strategic.
Araqchi also stated that he had informed Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan that any attack by the United States and Israel, or the participation of other countries in the region in those actions, would receive a “proportional response.”
In a cabinet meeting held Friday, Trump said he trusted that U.S. negotiators — including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — could reach an agreement with Iran.
After the failure of the ceasefire reached in April, the price of Brent crude has increased by 24%, and analysts consulted by Reuters foresee further rises throughout the year.
Trump maintains that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons justifies a temporary increase in fuel prices, although the economic impact is increasing political pressure on his administration to find a way out of the conflict.
Adding to energy sector concerns is that Yemen’s Houthi rebels, allies of Iran, have in recent days begun threatening the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, located at the southern entrance to the Red Sea and another essential route for Saudi oil exports.
The British agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Saturday two maritime incidents off the coast of Oman. In one, an unidentified projectile hit an oil tanker and damaged the engine room. In the other, the captain of a tanker reported a large explosion near the vessel, although no damage was recorded.
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