UNITED States President Donald Trump said a new round of negotiations with Iran will commence on Monday after he decided to suspend a planned military strike that he claimed could have inflicted "massive destruction" on the Islamic Republic.
"Clearly they do not want to be attacked. They know the extent of the strike because they have seen the preparations," AFP cited Trump saying aboard Air Force One on Sunday.
"At the moment we are negotiating with them. The talks will begin tomorrow afternoon," he said, without disclosing the venue or the parties expected to participate.
Trump's announcement follows his decision on Saturday to withdraw an earlier threat to launch what he had described as a large-scale assault on Iran, claiming it could have been the biggest military strike since the Second World War. He said he had opted to delay the operation because the framework for a possible agreement had already emerged.
Explaining the reversal, Trump said Iran, together with several of Washington's closest regional partners, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, had urged him to postpone the attack.
"When allies ask for it to be called off, we have to consider it. They did so because they believe an agreement can be reached," he said.
Trump said the proposed agreement was expected to address the Strait of Hormuz before expanding to cover Iran's nuclear programme or the dismantling of its nuclear capabilities.
He reiterated that the cancelled operation would have been "the biggest strike since the Second World War".
"It would take years to rebuild, if it could be rebuilt at all. Personally, I do not think it could be restored," he said.
Trump also revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had appealed to him not to proceed with the attack, warning that it could trigger unpredictable consequences across the region.
"Would they be overwhelmed by refugees and face disaster? Many bad things could happen," he said.
The latest diplomatic initiative comes after the conflict erupted on Feb 28, when the United States and Israel launched surprise strikes against Iran. Although a series of diplomatic efforts has since helped contain tensions, previous ceasefire arrangements, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — a critical artery for global energy supplies — ultimately collapsed.
Since then, Iran has tightened its control over the strategic waterway as both sides resumed exchanging attacks in recent weeks. - August 3, 2026
