Trump says he called off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states
US President Donald Trump said he had called off a fresh strike on Iran after a diplomatic request from Gulf states. He named Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as having asked for more time for negotiations. Tehran said talks could resume in the coming days.
President Donald Trump said he has paused the implementation of a fresh Iran strike plan that he reviewed at the White House over the weekend. According to BBC Middle East, Trump said the decision was taken after a diplomatic request from Gulf states, specifically Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump said the Gulf states had asked for more time to use existing negotiation channels. The strike plan, he said, has not been cancelled outright but would be "reassessed quickly if needed". Pentagon sources told the BBC the planned package was a broad attack focused on Iran's energy infrastructure.
Iran's response was two-pronged. Tehran indicated that talks could resume in the coming days, while the Revolutionary Guards commander said any strike would be met with a "proportionate response". Oil markets cheered the decision: Brent crude fell 1.8% during the session. The UN Secretary General called on parties to widen the diplomatic channel.
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