U.S. President Donald Trump gives remarks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, Wednesday. EPA-Yonhap
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump called off plans for renewed U.S. military strikes on Iran at the last minute on Thursday, saying negotiations with Tehran had advanced to the highest levels of Iran's leadership and had been approved by a broad coalition of regional powers.
The dramatic reversal came hours before the strikes were expected to be carried out. But details of the diplomatic breakthrough after more than three months of war - including how Iran's leadership had signaled its approval - were not immediately clear in Trump's post on Truth Social.
"Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening," Trump wrote.
"Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, 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 — Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly," he added.
