President Donald Trump announced Tuesday night, May 18, that he will temporarily postpone a planned attack on Iran, citing requests from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. He noted that negotiations to end the conflict are becoming increasingly serious.
Trump's Truth Social Statement
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that he has instructed his military leadership to be prepared to execute a full-scale assault on Iran at a moment's notice if a satisfactory agreement is not reached. He emphasized that regional leaders are optimistic about the prospects of a deal acceptable to the United States and its Middle Eastern allies.
"This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN," Trump declared.
White House Briefing
Later that day, Trump told reporters at the White House that the current situation is "a little bit different" from previous instances when Iran seemed close to an agreement. He described it as a very positive development but cautioned that it remains to be seen whether it will materialize.
According to a source familiar with the plan, Trump had grown frustrated with the pace of negotiations and had prepared to strike Iranian targets on Tuesday after reviewing options from senior military advisers. The president did not disclose specific targets or the scope of the planned operation.
Gulf States' Request
Trump explained that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and other unnamed countries asked him to delay the attack for a few days, hoping that negotiations are nearing a breakthrough. He expressed willingness to accept a peace proposal if it satisfies the Gulf states.
"We were getting ready to do a very major attack tomorrow. I put it off for a little while — hopefully, maybe, forever — but possibly for a little while, because we've had very big discussions with Iran," Trump said.
Iran's Nuclear Red Line
Trump reiterated his firm stance that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons. He warned on Sunday that the "clock is ticking" for Iran to make a deal, otherwise military action would resume. However, Iran's latest proposal did not offer significant concessions on key sticking points, particularly regarding nuclear enrichment.
Iran responded to some US concerns through Pakistani mediators, but American officials deemed the concessions insufficient to shift Trump's position. The president has consistently demanded a halt to nuclear enrichment and the handover of Iran's near-weapons-grade uranium stockpile.
Previous Ceasefire Extension
On April 21, Trump extended a ceasefire at Pakistan's request, citing divisions within Tehran's government and a desire for a unified proposal. However, his frustration with the slow pace of negotiations has grown, especially as the three-month-long war has driven up gas prices and eroded his approval ratings on the economy.
Military Readiness
After meeting with top national security officials over the weekend, Trump is expected to convene them again early this week to discuss the path forward. In his Truth Social post, he made clear that his options remain open.
"I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, The Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Daniel Caine, and The United States Military, that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached," he wrote.
