The US president said discussions and 'final points' had been approved by Iran, Israel, Gulf states and others, but warned the naval blockade would remain until the agreement is finalizedU.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he had canceled scheduled U.S. strikes and bombings against Iran, citing what he described as a breakthrough in high-level negotiations with Tehran and several regional governments.In a post on Truth Social, Trump said discussions with the Islamic Republic had been brought to “the highest level of Iranian leadership” and approved. He said that, as president, he had “cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening.”1 View gallery US President Donald Trump (Photo: AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)Trump added that the “discussions and final points” had been approved “in both concept and great detail” by all parties involved, naming the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt and others.“The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized,” Trump wrote, adding that the time and place of the signing would be announced shortly.The post marks a sharp turn after Trump had publicly threatened earlier Thursday to strike Iran “very hard” and raised the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export hub in the Persian Gulf. The Guardian reported that Trump’s threats came amid escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities and fragile backchannel talks.Kharg Island has been viewed by U.S. officials as one of the most sensitive possible targets in the conflict because of its importance to Iran’s oil exports. Axios reported that the island handles about 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, making it central to the country’s economy and to any U.S. attempt to pressure Tehran through energy infrastructure.Earlier, Pentagon officials and senior U.S. administration officials were said to have warned that seizing Kharg or destroying its energy infrastructure would be highly risky and could require significant ground forces. The operation had been viewed as a possible “endgame” measure that could severely damage Iran’s economy and war capabilities, but also carry the risk of heavy casualties and wider regional escalation.Trump’s new post suggests that Washington may be stepping back, at least for now, from immediate military escalation. But the president made clear that the U.S. naval blockade of Iran would remain in place until the emerging agreement is finalized.The apparent diplomatic turn comes as regional dynamics continue to shift. Bloomberg reported earlier that senior security officials from the UAE and Iran had met for the first time since the war began, in what sources familiar with the discussions described as “a sharp turn for both sides.”The UAE, one of Washington’s and Israel’s closest regional allies, has suffered repeated Iranian missile and drone attacks during the war, with damage to oil and gas facilities, ports and hotels. But Abu Dhabi has also sought to reduce further damage to its economy and security, while recognizing that the Iranian regime is likely to remain in power.For Tehran, maintaining ties with the UAE is also important. Before the war, the UAE was one of Iran’s largest trading partners and a key route for oil exports. The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, fragile ceasefires and slow progress in U.S.-Iran talks have pushed several Gulf states toward efforts to contain the confrontation through diplomacy.Trump’s announcement, if followed by a formal signing, could represent the most significant diplomatic development since the conflict began. But his insistence that the naval blockade remain in force signals that Washington intends to keep pressure on Tehran until the agreement is completed.