Trump Reverses Threat to Strike Iran After Calls from Gulf and Asian Leaders
US President Donald Trump abandoned plans for a major military strike on Iran after receiving phone calls from leaders of Qatar, the UAE, and Pakistan, who assured him that a deal with Iran was nearly finalized.
After US President Donald Trump threatened a "very powerful strike" on Iran via social media, he received phone calls from leaders of Gulf and South Asian countries urging him to reconsider, according to sources cited by Politico.
The previously unreported calls came from Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Pakistan's Defense Minister Asim Munir, said two administration officials and one diplomat familiar with the conversations.
During the calls, the leaders assured Trump that a preliminary agreement paving the way for more detailed negotiations was essentially ready. One of the sources said these assurances convinced Trump to drop the strike plans.
In recent days, the US and Iran had been exchanging proposals through intermediaries Qatar and Pakistan, but Trump grew increasingly frustrated and openly questioned whether Iran was leading him on. Tensions escalated after Iran shot down a US helicopter, prompting Trump to increase pressure on Tehran for a quick agreement.
On Thursday evening, Trump announced he was canceling the strikes he had threatened just hours earlier, stating that the "final points" of the agreement had been approved. He later indicated that the signing of the deal with Iran could take place as early as the weekend in Europe. According to media reports, the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran includes the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without transit fees and the easing of sanctions on Iran in exchange for compliance with rules.
