WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he is holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday because “serious negotiations” are underway to end the war.
“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’d be very happy,” Trump said at the White House on Monday evening, after first making the announcement in a social media post.
Trump said he had planned “a very major attack” but put it off — “for a little while, hopefully, maybe forever.” He said America’s allies in the Gulf asked him to wait for two to three days because they feel they are close to a deal with Iran.
Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran did not make a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement. Over the weekend he warned, “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them.”
The president has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. But he’s also previously indicated he would hold off on military action to allow talks to continue — only to turn around and launch strikes. That’s what happened at the war’s outset, when he ordered strikes in late February shortly after indicating he would let talks play out.