Trump Calls Off Strikes Against Iran After Threatening Kharg Island Takeover

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran “very hard” and floated possible take over of Kharg Island, a major oil terminal off the coast of Iran, before later calling off another round of military strikes against Iran.

“Hours after threatening to hit Iran “very hard”, United States President Donald Trump has called off his planned attack, signalling instead that a breakthrough in negotiations had been reached”

Al Jazeera

Trump said in the Oval Office that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is in “final shape” and could be signed as early as this weekend, potentially in Europe, with the agreement aiming to ensure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons and lifting a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz immediately upon signing.

Al Jazeera

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told Iranian state TV that a deal is not yet finalised, accusing the U.S. of making “excessive demands” and adding new requests to the negotiations.

CBS News reported that Trump said a “great settlement” has been reached and that signing could take place as soon as this weekend, while noting Iran has not confirmed any such agreement.

After Trump’s announcement that strikes were called off, Brent crude oil prices dropped below $90 a barrel, while U.S. stock markets closed the day with gains.

While Trump told reporters that the “final points” of a potential deal had been approved by “all parties involved,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said “So far, Iran has not reached a final conclusion on the agreement,” according to a statement provided to Agence France-Presse.

CBS News also said a Fars News Agency quote from a “knowledgeable source close to the Iranian negotiating team” denied the president’s claim about an agreement on an initial deal and stated that “no text of the initial memorandum of understanding with the United States has been approved.”

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

CNN reported that Baghaei told Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA that reports of a finalized agreement were “merely speculation” and that Tehran had not yet made a final decision on any deal.

In the same CNN account, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening because “final points” of a deal had been approved.

CNN added that Baghaei said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz had become “less secure because of U.S. actions,” even as Trump said the Strait would reopen once an agreement is signed.

Trump’s shifting posture included a threat to take Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports, after he had earlier said the U.S. would be “taking Kharg Island” and other oil infrastructure points in the “not too distant future.”

“Thursday began with US President Donald Trump threatening to hit Iran "very hard" with new strikes and possible take over Kharg Island, a major oil terminal off the coast of Iran”

BBC

The Hill quoted Speaker Mike Johnson saying he would “not put too much stock” in Trump’s Kharg Island threat, adding that “I think he’s communicating directly with our adversaries over there.”

Al Jazeera reported that Trump said the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports “will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized,” with “Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly.”

PressTV quoted Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, warning that any U.S. attack on Iranian territory “not just on Kharg Island but anywhere in the country” would receive a response that “will be recorded in history.”

CBS News said that if a memorandum is signed, it would kick off 60 days of talks to negotiate details of a U.S.-Iran agreement, with first steps including ensuring “freedom of trade” by demining and opening the Strait of Hormuz.