WorldU.S. President Donald Trump said he is holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday because "serious negotiations" are underway. Trump's announcement in a social media post Monday came as he had threatened the clock was ticking for Iran to strike a deal or fighting would renew after a fragile ceasefire.He warned, however, of a 'large scale assault' if no deal is reached in negotiationsThe Associated Press · Posted: May 18, 2026 3:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.U.S. President Donald Trump gestures to reporters as he walks across the South Lawn of the White House last week. Trump says the U.S. will hold off on a planned Tuesday assault on Iran, pending negotiations. (Jacquelyn Martin/The Associated Press)U.S. President Donald Trump said he is holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday because "serious negotiations" are underway.Trump's announcement in a social media post Monday came as he had threatened the clock was ticking for Iran to strike a deal or fighting would renew after a fragile ceasefire.The president did not offer details about the planned attack but said he had instructed the U.S. military "to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached."Trump had not previously disclosed that he was planning a strike for May 19, but 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."Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire struck in mid-April could end if Iran did not strike a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement.AnalysisIs the U.S. military running out of weapons?Front BurnerIran quagmire: why can’t the U.S. end the war? - TranscriptTrump said in his social media post that he was calling off the planned strike at the request of allies in the Middle East, including the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off.Trump in recent days has also spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese President Xi Jinping about the Iran war.