Trump says US halts planned attack on Iran at request of leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE

US President Donald Trump said on Monday (May 18th) he had ordered a pause in a planned US military strike against Iran after key Middle East leaders appealed, saying talks were ongoing and a diplomatic deal was still possible.

In a lengthy statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said the planned strike had been scheduled for “tomorrow” but would now be delayed while talks continued.

Gulf leaders urged Trump to delay the attack

Trump said the request came from Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“The Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and President of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have asked me to delay our planned military strike against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote.

According to Trump, Gulf leaders said “serious negotiations are now underway” and believed a diplomatic solution remained possible.

Trump says any deal must block Iran’s nuclear weapons

Trump said the proposed deal being discussed would require Iran to permanently give up any nuclear weapons ambitions.

“This deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” Trump said.

He added that a potential deal could become “very acceptable to the United States, as well as to all countries in the Middle East and beyond.”

The statement comes at a time of escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and growing fears of a wider regional war.

The US military ordered to remain ready

Despite the suspension of the strike, Trump stressed that the US military remains ready to launch a major strike if negotiations collapse.

“Based on my respect for the leaders mentioned above, I have instructed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine, and the United States military that we will NOT launch a planned attack on Iran tomorrow,” Trump said.

But he warned: “We will NOT launch a planned attack on Iran tomorrow, but we have further instructed them to be prepared to launch a full scale attack on Iran, immediately, in the event that an acceptable deal is not reached.”

Diplomatic pressure is mounting in the Middle East

The announcement signals growing diplomatic engagement by Gulf allies seeking to prevent direct military conflict between the United States and Iran.

Regional leaders have reportedly stepped up mediation efforts amid concerns that a large-scale conflict could destabilize oil markets, threaten shipping lanes and spark wider violence across the Middle East.

A reference to ongoing negotiations suggests that behind-the-scenes diplomatic negotiations may now take place involving Washington, Tehran and regional mediators.

US-Iran talks remain deadlocked as war drags on

Efforts to reach an agreement to end the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran remain on hold after both Washington and Tehran rejected new diplomatic proposals, deepening uncertainty in the Middle East and global energy markets.

The latest breakdown in the talks came when Trump warned Iran that the “clock was ticking” and threatened renewed military strikes if talks failed.

Iran rejects US terms as ‘excessive’

At the same time, Iranian officials reportedly rejected a separate U.S.-backed proposal that included a temporary easing of sanctions related to oil exports.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iran considered the US demands unacceptable and refused to stop the war “at the expense of its nuclear program”.

Tehran also reportedly insisted on:

Return of frozen Iranian assets

War-related financial compensation

Safeguards protecting its nuclear activities

Trump is escalating pressure on Tehran

Trump stepped up pressure on Iran with a stark warning posted on Truth Social.

“Tehran should get moving, FAST, or there will be nothing left of them,” Trump wrote.

The statement marked some of Trump’s strongest rhetoric on Iran since returning from a recent diplomatic trip to China.

Despite the threats, Trump has repeatedly delayed or suspended direct military action in recent weeks and has continued to push for negotiations.

The president is said to have also discussed the conflict with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Oil markets are reacting to conflicting signals

Global oil prices fluctuated sharply as conflicting reports emerged on the status of negotiations.

Brent crude initially fell on news suggesting a possible easing of sanctions on Iran, before rebounding as it became clear that the talks remained on hold.

Brent crude later traded around $111 a barrel.

War and disruptions in the Persian Gulf have already pushed gasoline prices higher globally and heightened concerns about energy supplies.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a major target as a significant portion of global oil exports pass through the narrow shipping route.

Drone strike targets UAE nuclear facility

Regional tensions further escalated after drones targeted infrastructure near a nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE Ministry of Defense said one drone struck near the Barakah nuclear power plant, while two other missiles were intercepted.

The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that emergency diesel generators had been activated at the third unit of the facility, but said there was “no radiation fallout”.

UAE High Representative Anwar Gargash condemned the incident.

“The terrorist attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant represents a dangerous escalation and a dark chapter that violates all international laws and norms,” Gargash wrote on X.

Iran has not publicly commented on the attacks.

Saudi Arabia intercepts drones

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed three drones entering its airspace from Iraq, where several Iranian-backed militias operate.

Saudi officials have not confirmed whether the drones were related to the incident in the United Arab Emirates.

The attacks raised fears that the conflict could increasingly spread across the Persian Gulf region.

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