Trump said he suspended imminent US military strikes on Iran “for two or three days” after the Gulf states intervened to gain more time due to ongoing negotiations and concerns over Iranian retaliation, with Qatar stating that Gulf leaders are united in trying to avoid a resumption of the war.

The president wrote on social media that he was prepared to attack Iran but was persuaded not to by the United States’s Gulf allies.

US President Donald Trump said leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE had urged him to delay the attack because they believed a deal could still be reached.