US President Donald Trump has called off the scheduled strikes on Iran after flagging a possible Iran deal signing. He said that “discussions and final points” have been approved by the highest level of Iranian leadership.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that, “Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening.”
Trump said countries from the Middle East, such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others, apart from the United States, have approved the final points of the deal.
However, through his post, Trump clarified that the naval blockade will remain in “full force and effect” until the deal is finalised and said that the time and place of the signing will be announced soon.
“The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized – Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly”, Trump said.
Will Hit Iran “Very Hard” Tonight: Trump
Earlier in the day, Trump warned that the US will continue its attacks on Iran for the third night in a row.
Read | Will Hit Iran “Very Hard” Tonight, Take Venezuela-Like Control Of Its Oil: Trump
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, “The United States will be hitting Iran (whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti-Aircraft, and all other forms of Defence, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT.”
Trump also said that the United States will at some point take Iran’s Kharg Island, an economic lifeline for Iran and handles roughly 90 per cent of the country’s crude exports.
“At some point in the not-too-distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela, which is working out brilliantly for both Venezuela and the United States of America,” Trump said.
But the US leader himself appeared divided on whether to go ahead with the move, in a telephone interview with Fox News shortly after his social media post.
“Look, my preference has always been take Kharg Island,” Trump told Fox, before adding, “I don’t know that America has the stomach for it, to be honest.”
Trump insisted that “I don’t want to have boots on the ground” but said that “if I wanted to, we could put a small group of soldiers and take over the whole place.”
Trump also vented his increasing frustration with Iran for failing to agree a deal to end the war, open the Strait of Hormuz and agree not to develop a nuclear weapon.
“The whole thing is crazy, and they’re really in submission, they just don’t know it yet,” Trump said.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, vowed on Thursday to use Iranian funds to pay for damage that the country causes to Gulf allies.
