US President Donald Trump has called off new military strikes on Iran, citing a breakthrough in talks to end the war. The move comes hours after he threatened to escalate the war by seizing control of Iran’s oil industry.
In a social media post, Trump credited progress in discussions with high-level Iranian leadership as the reason for the sudden change. He also suggested that progress has been made in talks to extend the fragile ceasefire.
President Trump said that a deal to end the war with Iran is nearly complete and is expected to be signed over the weekend in Europe. He made these remarks at the Oval Office in the White House yesterday.
The US President said that Iran has agreed not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons. He added that the agreement would ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, which he described as the central objective of his administration’s pressure campaign against Tehran.
He also said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen once the agreement is signed, potentially easing pressure on global energy markets after weeks of military tensions and maritime disruptions in the region.
The US and Iran had traded strikes yesterday, pushing West Asia closer to the resumption of a full-scale war. It was the third time this week that back-and-forth strikes have rattled the region, though the attacks have been more limited compared to the early weeks of the conflict.
