Trump Cancelled Iran Strike After Learning Deal Was Near Finalisation

US President Donald Trump cancelled a planned attack on Iran on Thursday night after being convinced by senior officials from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan that a deal with Tehran was nearly finalised, according to a Politico report citing two administration officials and a diplomat familiar with the discussions.

Trump had stated the United States would strike Iran ‘very hard’ on Thursday night, but later announced the airstrikes had been called off. Shortly after his initial threat, leaders from Gulf and South Asian nations contacted him directly to urge an immediate reversal of the decision, Politico reported.

Those who persuaded Trump included Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Field Marshal Asim Munir. The main unresolved issues currently are the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the US blockade, according to the sources.

The peace talks between the US and Iran also addressed providing Iran access to more than 16 billion US dollars (approximately 286 trillion Indonesian rupiah) held in Qatar and other locations. Trump indicated that, as he understood it, Iranian leadership had agreed to sign an agreement with the US, adding that the deal could be signed as early as this weekend in Europe. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei also confirmed that a draft memorandum of understanding with the United States had been agreed upon in principle.