Full story
Trump pauses Iran strike
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday the U.S. would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran”
In a post on Truth Social after a call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, Trump wrote, "Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,".
The Korea Times reported that the apparent de-escalation followed days of threats of new attacks from each side in a war the U.S. and Israel launched five months ago, with attacks spreading across the Gulf to the Red Sea and even a Mediterranean facility in Egypt.
The Korea Times also said Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, described as a conduit for 20 percent of the world's oil and LNG before the war, and that energy prices have stirred and stoked broader inflation.
The Korea Times further reported that Iran's semi-official Mehr news said Iranian military officials dismissed Trump's claim that Tehran had sought to halt attacks as "a new lie" aimed at pressuring Gulf Arab states.
Saudi pushes dialogue
Saudi Arabia's state news agency reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed the "necessity of prioritizing dialogue to de-escalate tensions" in the Middle East during a phone call with Trump.
The Jerusalem Post said the call came after an early Sunday report from Axios that Salman had asked Trump to reconsider potential large military strikes on Iran, citing two United States officials including one who told Axios that "the Saudis expressed concern and asked for clarity about the plan of action."
The Jerusalem Post added that Israel raised its alert and readiness for a potential resumption of large U.S. strikes on Iran, based on two Israeli sources.
It also said other countries in the region asked Trump to avoid escalating the situation, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Pakistan, according to the report.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Axios said indirect talks on Saturday between the U.S. and Iran resulted in some progress, though no agreement had been reached.
Hormuz reopening disputed
DW Persian News Desk said Ismail Bagheri, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, reacted to speculation about reopening the Strait of Hormuz by saying, "Under no circumstances will the Strait of Hormuz return to its former status."
“"Under no circumstances will the Strait of Hormuz return to its former status."”
DW Persian News Desk also reported that Bagheri said talks between Tehran and Muscat about the Strait of Hormuz are in their final stages and that "the Omani side has cooperated well."
DW Persian News Desk further stated that Bagheri stressed that the understanding between Iran and Oman to reopen a new maritime route does not mean the Strait of Hormuz will open, and that negotiations about the Strait of Hormuz and an understanding on a maritime route began the day after the ceasefire was established.
In parallel, the Korea Times reported that Trump said the U.S. would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reopen it "the vital strait".
The Korea Times also said Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told senior Turkish and Pakistani officials in phone calls on Saturday that Tehran would respond decisively to any "aggression" and discussed the consequences of "destabilising actions" by the U.S.
