Trump cancels planned Iran strikes, claims deal is just days away

The US president on Thursday claimed that a breakthrough agreement with Iran was imminent, saying he had cancelled plans for further military action and suggesting that a formal understanding could be signed within days. Yet even as markets rallied on the prospect of peace, Tehran stopped short of confirming that any final deal had been reached.

Speaking after days of renewed tensions, Trump said proposed US strikes scheduled for later in the evening had been withdrawn because negotiations had advanced significantly.

"I cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening," Trump said, adding that the discussions had reached Iran's top leadership and received approval. "Time and place of the signing will be announced shortly."

The remarks marked a dramatic shift in tone from just a day earlier, when Trump had warned that Iran would face intensified military action and even threatened to target the country's oil export infrastructure.

Iran remains cautious

Despite Trump's confidence, Iranian officials offered a much more measured assessment.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran had not yet arrived at a final decision regarding any proposed agreement, signalling that significant hurdles may still remain.

State-linked Tasnim News Agency also urged caution, noting that Trump has repeatedly predicted imminent deals in recent months that never materialised.

According to the agency, the US president has declared that an agreement was close dozens of times over the past two months.

"Until Iran announces the matter of a potential understanding, any news from Trump on this subject should be regarded the same as his previous messaging," the outlet said.

Trump nevertheless doubled down on his optimism, telling reporters he believed Iran's leadership had effectively given its approval.

"I understand the answer is yes," he said when asked whether Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had approved the arrangement.

What would the proposed deal include?

According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, Trump assured Israel that any memorandum of understanding with Tehran would require Iran to relinquish its stockpile of enriched nuclear material and dismantle missile-related infrastructure.

Trump also suggested that the finer details of the agreement had been endorsed not only by Washington and Israel but by key regional allies as well.

"Discussions and final points have been approved by all parties involved," he said.

If accurate, the development would represent the most significant diplomatic progress since hostilities erupted earlier this year.

A war that never fully ended

The conflict began on February 28 with coordinated US-Israeli strikes targeting Iran. An April ceasefire paused the fighting, but efforts to secure a lasting settlement have repeatedly stalled.

Even after Trump's latest comments, signs of instability persisted across the region.

Kuwait reported that Iranian actions had damaged airport radar systems, forcing authorities to temporarily shut portions of its airspace.

Iran, meanwhile, renewed warnings over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints. Authorities overseeing the waterway said it would remain closed until further notice, raising concerns about disruptions to global oil and gas supplies.

With AFP inputs