US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States and Iran will resume negotiations on Monday, saying he cancelled what he described as a planned “massive” military strike after being urged to allow diplomacy to continue.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the planned attack was called off after Iran and key US allies in the Middle East indicated that progress had been made toward a possible agreement.
According to Trump, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, along with leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, appealed to the US to suspend military action, believing a diplomatic breakthrough was within reach.
“We’re talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” Trump said, adding that he was not setting a deadline for a deal and was focused on avoiding further loss of life.
Earlier, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had agreed to “hold off” on military action because the framework of a potential agreement had already been established.
However, Iran has denied requesting a halt to US military action. The country’s semi official Mehr News Agency dismissed Trump’s claim as “nothing but a new lie.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said negotiations with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz were progressing and close to being finalised, according to Iranian media.
Trump claimed the cancelled operation would have been the largest US military attack since World War II and suggested it could have destroyed any remaining chance of reaching a negotiated settlement.
The announcement eased concerns in global energy markets, with oil prices falling sharply during Monday’s Asian trading session. Brent crude dropped about 4.5 percent to $83.98 per barrel, while US crude declined around 4.6 percent to $80.74.
Oil prices have remained volatile since the conflict began because of fears over disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route that carries around 20 percent of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
As of the time of reporting, the venue and participants for the renewed US Iran talks have not been officially announced.
