Trump's Flip-Flop War Strategy Draws Iran's 'Plin-plan' Label

US President Donald Trump’s strategy of wavering over war drew attention in Iran. Iran branded him as ‘plin-plan’. According to detikcom’s records, Tuesday 20 May 2026, Trump repeatedly announced plans to strike Iran after negotiations over Tehran’s proposed deal hit a dead end. The intent to strike Iran decisively almost materialised. However, Trump changed course. He cancelled the plan to attack Iran on Tuesday 19 May. Trump said he had been urged by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman; and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to delay the strike. The attack was initially planned for Tuesday. As reported by Al Jazeera, on Tuesday 19 May, Trump said Gulf leaders had engaged in serious negotiations. Trump claimed the negotiations would be acceptable to the US. ‘That serious negotiations are ongoing, and that, in their view, as Leaders and Great Allies, a deal would be reached that would be very acceptable to the United States, and to all countries in the region and beyond,’ Trump said on his Truth Social platform. ‘The deal would include, most importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!’ he added. Trump said he had instructed his subordinates not to carry out a scheduled attack on Iran on Tuesday, but he had instructed them further to be prepared for a large-scale attack if no acceptable deal is reached. ‘Based on my respect for the leaders named above, I have instructed the Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Daniel Caine; and the United States military, that we WILL NOT carry out a scheduled attack on Iran tomorrow (Tuesday), but I have instructed them further to be prepared for a large-scale attack on Iran, at any time, if an acceptable deal is not reached,’ he said. Iran labels Trump as ‘Plin-plan’ A senior advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader, Mohsen Rezaei, commented on Trump’s stance, describing him as inconsistent. Rezaei stressed Tehran would force Washington to retreat and surrender. Speaking after Trump announced he had cancelled a large-scale attack following Gulf outreach, Rezaei, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), told Press TV on Tuesday 19 May 2026 that Washington’s approach was inconsistent and cowardly. In a post on X on Monday night (18 May), Rezaei said that Trump ‘set a deadline for a military strike and then cancelled it himself, in vain hope of forcing the nation and Iranian officials to surrender.’ ‘A robust military power and the great Iranian nation will force them to retreat and surrender,’ he added. Iranian commander: Any new aggression by the US or its allies will be met with ‘extraordinary’ retaliation Major General Ali Abdollahi, commander of the operational command unit within Iran’s top headquarters, Khatam al-Anbiya, said in a separate statement that any new aggression by the US or its allies would be answered with extraordinary force. ‘We tell America and its allies: do not make another strategic misstep or miscalculation,’ he said. ‘They should know that any new aggression or invasion by the enemies of our homeland and our proud nation will be met with a rapid, firm, powerful, and wide-ranging response,’ Abdollahi declared. He warned that if the adversaries again erred, they would face Tehran’s power far greater than the ongoing conflict. ‘We will defend the rights of the Iranian people with all our might and cut off the hands of any aggressor,’ Abdollahi concluded.