President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he decided to suspend a plan for what he described as the "biggest attack since World War II" against Iran after conversations with Gulf leaders and a request from unnamed Iranian officials.
Decision followed appeals from regional partners
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One as he returned to Washington from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Mr Trump said he had been urged by key Gulf allies — specifically Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — to hold off. He described a direct exchange with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in which he asked: "What would you rather do? Would you rather us do this or not?" According to the president, the crown prince and others preferred pursuing a deal over launching strikes.
“I said to the crown prince, ‘What would you rather do? Would you rather us do this or not?’”
The president said he had been prepared for major military action on Sunday, but that he scrapped the plan to allow more time for diplomacy after those interventions.
What Mr Trump said about the emerging deal
Mr Trump told reporters that the developing agreement would address US concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities and would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway vital to global energy shipments that, the president said, had been closed as a consequence of the five-month conflict. Iran has previously attacked vessels transiting the strait without its authorisation as part of its confrontation with the US.
Iranian officials, speaking through state channels, offered a different account. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Sunday the strait "will in no way return to the status it was before February 28" and that Tehran is discussing shipping arrangements with neighbouring Oman, but there was no current agreement to reopen the waterway.
Timeline and immediate implications
The sequence of events as reported is:
- Mr Trump says a plan for a major strike was in place and scheduled for Sunday.
- He spoke with Gulf leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- At their urging, and after a request from unnamed Iranian officials, he halted the strikes to allow diplomacy more time.
| Item | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Planned action | Described by Mr Trump as "the biggest attack since World War II" |
| Key interlocutors | Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates; unnamed Iranian officials |
| Strategic issue | Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz; Iran’s nuclear concerns |
For readers in St Helens and across the UK, the immediate practical consequences of a major strike in the Gulf would most likely have been economic rather than military: disruption to global oil markets, sharp movements in energy prices and the prospect of wider geopolitical instability. Those effects can filter into household energy bills and the cost of goods, though how quickly and by how much would depend on many factors beyond the details reported so far.
At this stage the story remains one of high-level diplomacy overtaking a plan for military action. The president’s account of events and Tehran’s statements on continuing controls over Hormuz underline how fragile any arrangement will be. Journalists and analysts will be looking for further evidence of concrete commitments from both sides, independent verification of any deal terms and clarity on the mechanisms to ensure safe shipping through the strait.
As developments unfold, readers should expect further reporting on:
- Any formal statements from the US, Gulf states or Iran confirming deal terms.
- Changes in shipping advisories for the Strait of Hormuz and insurance rates for vessels operating there.
- Movements in global energy prices and commentary on likely impacts for UK consumers.
