US President Donald Trump has said there was a “very good chance” the United States could reach an agreement with Iran to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, hours after saying he had postponed a planned military attack to allow negotiations to continue.
Trump said leaders from key US allies in the Middle East had asked him to delay a planned military attack on Iran scheduled for Tuesday to allow negotiations with Tehran to continue, while warning the US remained prepared to launch a large-scale assault if no agreement is reached.
"There seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out. If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I would be very happy," Trump told reporters gathered for a drug price announcement on Monday.
The statement came after the US president posted earlier on the social media platform Truth Social, "I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to hold off on our planned military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow.”
US to stand down
Trump added that Gulf leaders told him that "serious negotiations are now taking place" and expressed confidence that a diplomatic agreement could still be reached.
Trump said the proposed deal would include a firm prohibition on Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, describing that issue as a central condition for any agreement.
"This deal will include, importantly, no nuclear weapons for Iran!" he added.
Trump said that, out of "respect" for the Gulf leaders, he had instructed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine, and US military commanders to stand down from the planned operation for now.
