Donald Trump says Middle East allies have reached outline deal to end Iran war
The US President says any deal would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and end Iran's nuclear threat
US President Donald Trump claimed Middle East allies have reached the parameters of a deal to end the Iran war and said that he would hold off on ordering new strikes in the five-month old conflict.
In a social media post on Sunday morning, Mr Trump added that the emerging deal “would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.”
“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II,” he said.
“Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.
“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.”
He added that Israel has agreed to join the US in the commitment to try to complete the agreement with Iran that would bring about an end to the war.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, raised concerns about the US potentially escalating the conflict with Iran during a phone call with Mr Trump on Saturday, a person familiar with the leaders’ discussion told the Associated Press.
The Saudis, according to the person briefed on the substance of the call, are concerned that if the US targets Iran’s energy infrastructure or carries out massive strikes on other key infrastructure that Tehran could respond by carrying out attacks on the kingdom’s and other Gulf countries’ energy infrastructure.
The crown prince during Saturday’s call sought clarity from Mr Trump on what potential new action he was considering taking against Iran, the person said.
A White House official confirmed to the Associate Press that the leaders spoke on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia earlier this week joined the US in striking multiple logistics and weapons sites used by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, but has been urging the US and Iran to get back to the negotiating table to find an endgame to the five-month old conflict.
The crown prince also dispatched his brother, Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, to Washington earlier this week for separate meetings with Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance to discuss Iran strategy.
The stakes for continued US military action are high for Mr Trump and his party as the conflict, unpopular among many Americans, has jolted the world economy just months before critical midterm elections in November.
The president had vowed to take retaliatory action after the US military thwarted a surprise attack earlier this week by Iran on a US base in Jordan.
He told reporters on Friday that “we just want to win” in Iran and said the US will hit Iran “very hard” until they can’t take it anymore.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed frustration that Tehran had last month signed a memorandum of understanding with the US on a truce but then quickly “broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers”.
On Saturday, the US State Department issued new security alerts for Americans in 10 countries in the region to exercise heightened caution due to the escalating tensions with Iran.
The warnings — covering Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates — urged US citizens to prepare for the possibility of flight cancellations, temporary airspace closures and other travel disruptions.
Published: by Radio NewsHub