President Donald Trump announced late Saturday evening that he had called off a planned military strike against Iran, citing progress toward a diplomatic agreement.
Trump made the announcement via social media, stating that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked the United States to hold off on any attack after the parameters of a deal had been agreed upon.
“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,” Trump wrote. He added that the emerging framework would include the “Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.”
Trump said he agreed to cancel the attack “for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran,” but made clear the cancellation is conditional on rapidly finalizing a deal. He also noted that Israel is joining in the commitment.
As originally reported, the planned strike had been tied to discussions among U.S. officials about a potential new round of attacks targeting Iranian energy infrastructure. The Wall Street Journal and CBS News both cited sources indicating that strikes could have begun as early as this weekend if diplomatic momentum failed to materialize.
The possibility of military action had been building throughout the week. Following a cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump had openly signaled that further military steps were on the table, keeping pressure on Tehran while back-channel negotiations continued.
The framework, as described by Trump, hinges on Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz immediately and completely, a critical global shipping lane through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes. Beyond that, specific details of the agreement have not yet been made public.
Trump’s language was pointed, framing the U.S. as fully prepared to act while leaving the door open for a diplomatic resolution. The conditional nature of the cancellation leaves little ambiguity: if a deal does not come together quickly, military options remain firmly on the table.
Whether the framework holds and leads to a formal agreement remains to be seen. For now, the clock is ticking.