New Delhi: Hours after warning that the United States would hit Iran “very hard” on Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump announced that he had cancelled
planned strikes and bombings, claiming diplomatic talks with Tehran had reached the highest levels of Iran’s leadership.
“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
From threats to talks
The announcement marked a dramatic shift in Washington’s stance within a matter of hours. Earlier in the day, Trump had threatened a fresh round of military action against Iran and suggested that the United States could take control of Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export terminal. By night, however, the focus had moved from military escalation to negotiations.
Trump said negotiators had reached consensus on both the broad framework and finer details of an agreement.
“Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others,” he wrote.
Questions over Tehran’s role
Notably, while Trump said the discussions had been approved by Iran’s highest leadership, Iran was absent from the list of countries he named as having endorsed the agreement, raising questions about Tehran’s exact role in the reported understanding.
He added that details of a formal signing ceremony would be announced later.
“Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly.”
Despite the apparent diplomatic breakthrough, Trump said the US naval blockade would remain in effect until the agreement is formally finalised.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump had struck a far more aggressive tone, warning that American forces would launch powerful new attacks on Iran and reiterating his intention to take control of Kharg Island following the recent exchange of strikes between the two sides.
“The United States will be hitting Iran … VERY HARD TONIGHT,” Trump wrote in an earlier social media post.
He also suggested that Washington could eventually take control of Kharg Island and other Iranian energy facilities.
Kharg Island serves as Iran’s primary oil export terminal and has historically handled the bulk of the country’s crude shipments. Before the conflict disrupted exports, it played a crucial role in supplying oil to global markets, particularly China.
Iranian officials reacted sharply to Trump’s remarks.
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, cautioned that any further escalation could have severe consequences.
“Wrong strategies and impulsive decisions will reset the entire board for the worse, explode energy infrastructure and markets and create an endless quagmire that you will be stuck in for years,” he wrote on X.
“You will see a different Iran.”
Talks gather momentum
After two days of strikes by both sides in the Gulf raised fears of a return to full-scale conflict, reports suggest that indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran have accelerated in recent days. Sources quoted by Reuters said the two sides are discussing a preliminary framework aimed at ending hostilities.
One of the key sticking points remains the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets held overseas.
According to Reuters, Tehran is seeking direct access to the funds, while Washington favours a phased release linked to humanitarian purposes and compliance requirements. Iran is also pushing for sanctions relief and security guarantees related to regional issues.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Iran could be made to bear the cost of damage caused to America’s Gulf allies.
While the immediate threat of fresh US strikes appears to have diminished, the future of any agreement remains uncertain, with Tehran yet to issue an official confirmation.
