Trump says ‘big decision’ on Iran war coming as he prepares to meet six Gulf leaders at UN General Assembly | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was nearing a “big decision” on the next phase of the Iran war, as the conflict enters its seventh month and fighting involving Iran-backed Houthi forces and Saudi Arabia adds another layer of uncertainty to the regional crisis.
In an interview with Axios, Trump said his next move will be influenced by negotiations with the leaders of the six Gulf states, whom he is scheduled to meet in New York next Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
“I have a big decision to make,” Trump reportedly told reporters. He also indicated that he was considering whether to resume major military action against Iran.
Trump to meet six Gulf leaders in New York
Trump is scheduled to meet with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman next week at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan.
The meeting is expected to focus on the next phase of the Iran conflict and US plans for a post-war regional arrangement, Axios reports.
Trump said he wanted to hear directly from Gulf leaders before determining his next steps.
“I want to find out where they are and how they’re doing. We’ve been very protective of them,” he told Axios.
The meeting comes as the Gulf states face growing economic and security risks from the widening conflict, including attacks on energy infrastructure and disruption of key sea routes.
Trump says Iran may be getting closer to a deal
Separately, Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he hoped the nearly seven-month war was coming to an end.
“We hope we’re at the end of the war. They want to make a deal, we’ll see how that goes,” Trump said, according to Reuters.
Trump also said he communicated “directly” with Tehran, but did not provide details on when the contact took place, who was involved or what was discussed.
Asked if a deal with Iran was possible, Trump again replied: “They want to make a deal and we’ll see how it goes.
However, Reuters reported that no talks between the United States and Iran to end the war had taken place as an interim deal struck in June subsequently collapsed.
Houthi-Saudi fighting adds new pressure
The diplomatic uncertainty comes as the conflict has spread to Yemen, with Iran-aligned Houthi forces and Saudi Arabia trading blows.
The Houthis have made significant territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and captured positions overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime junction linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Reuters reported that the progress created new risks for Saudi oil exports and global shipping.
Saudi Arabia has carried out airstrikes on Yemen, while the Houthis have launched missiles and drones into Saudi territory. Reuters reported that Saudi authorities have announced the first civilian deaths in the kingdom following the latest Houthi attacks.
The escalation has also triggered a new humanitarian crisis, with more than 100,000 people displaced in Yemen, according to the UN refugee agency cited by Reuters.
Saudi oil pipeline disruption roils markets
The fighting has also threatened an important alternative route for Gulf oil exports.
Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline, which carries crude from the kingdom’s eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, was temporarily shut down after drone strikes damaged gas stations. Reuters reported that three gas stations were hit and that the pipeline normally carries around 4 million to 5 million barrels of oil a day.
Saudi Arabia sought to compensate for the disruption by brokering additional shipments of oil through the Omani port of Sohar using ship-to-ship transfers.
Hormuz remains a major flashpoint
The Strait of Hormuz remains another major issue in global energy markets. Commercial vessel traffic through the strategic waterway has plummeted amid the conflict.
The US Navy was trying to guide ships through the strait, while Iran said the waterway would remain closed until Washington lifted the blockade.
Read also | UN Experts Label Two US Strikes in Iran for Possible War Crimes: Which?
