Trump says he paused planned attack on Iran, sees ‘very good chance’ for nuclear deal

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he had postponed a planned military strike on Iran after Tehran submitted a new peace proposal through Pakistan, adding that there was a “very good chance” the two sides could reach an agreement over Iran’s nuclear programme, according to Reuters.

In a social media post, Trump said he had instructed the US military not to carry out a “scheduled attack” on Iran but ordered forces to remain ready to launch a large-scale assault at short notice if negotiations fail.

“There seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out,” Trump later told reporters in Washington. “If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I would be very happy.”

Reuters reported that no such attack had been publicly announced, and it could not independently verify whether preparations for military action were underway.

Trump said leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had urged him to hold off on military action, expressing confidence that a deal acceptable to the United States and the broader Middle East could be reached.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that Tehran had conveyed its latest position to Washington through Pakistan, which has served as an intermediary between the two countries since hosting direct talks in Islamabad last month.

According to Reuters, Iran’s latest proposal focuses first on ending the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting maritime sanctions, while broader negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme would continue.

A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Washington had shown greater flexibility, including a possible release of a portion of Iran’s frozen overseas assets and acceptance of limited civilian nuclear activity under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision. The United States has not confirmed those claims.

Tasnim news agency separately reported that the US had agreed to suspend oil sanctions during negotiations, though a U.S. official cited by Reuters denied that report.

Despite the diplomatic opening, Iranian officials maintained a defiant tone. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters warned that any renewed US attack would be met with a “quick, decisive, powerful and extensive” response, according to Tasnim.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8 after six weeks of conflict triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. However, regional tensions remain high, with recent drone attacks launched from Iraq toward Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a central issue in the negotiations. Iran has effectively restricted traffic through the waterway, through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies typically pass, intensifying global concerns over energy security.