US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he has postponed a military strike on Iran that had been planned for Tuesday, saying he acted at the request of the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the Gulf states had asked Washington to hold off because "serious negotiations are now taking place" and a deal was expected that would be "very acceptable" to the US. While pausing the attack, Trump made clear that forces remained on standby, warning that the US was prepared to "go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice" if talks fail to produce an agreement.
The announcement came after Iran sent a new peace proposal to Washington, relayed through Pakistan, which has been serving as a key intermediary between the two sides. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei confirmed that Tehran's latest positions had been passed to the US via Islamabad, though a Pakistani source expressed cautious pessimism, telling Reuters that both parties "keep changing their goalposts" and that time was running out. Iranian media reported that the proposal includes a long-term suspension of its nuclear programme, the transfer of highly enriched uranium to Russia, and a phased reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — the strategically vital waterway through which around 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes and which Iran has effectively been controlling since the conflict began in late February.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian struck a defiant tone, insisting that "dialogue does not mean surrender" and that Tehran had entered talks "with dignity, authority, and the preservation of the nation's rights." A senior Iranian military commander urged the US not to make "strategic mistakes and miscalculations." Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme National Security Council announced the formation of a new body to manage the Strait of Hormuz, signalling Tehran's intent to maintain leverage over the waterway regardless of ongoing talks. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also threatened to impose permits on internet cables passing through the strait.
The backdrop to Monday's developments is a conflict now in its third month. US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran began on 28 February, drawing Iranian retaliatory drone and missile attacks on Israel and US military installations across the Gulf. A ceasefire agreed in April has paused most major hostilities, but tensions have remained high, with drone strikes continuing and Trump himself having described the truce as being on "life support" just days earlier. One drone struck a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting three drones over the weekend.
The pause in military action comes as Trump faces mounting domestic pressure. A New York Times/Siena poll published Monday found that 64% of American voters believe going to war with Iran was the wrong decision, and only 37% approve of Trump's job performance. White House officials are reportedly concerned that the war's impact on fuel prices and the broader economy could damage Republican prospects in November's midterm elections. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said there had been "a very positive development" and expressed optimism: "If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I would be very happy." However, analysts caution that the conflict remains deadlocked, with both sides under pressure but without sufficient incentives to make the concessions a lasting deal would require.