Trump Claims Gulf States and Iran Urged Him to Halt Planned Military Strike
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Iran all urged him to cancel a planned military strike, arguing that diplomacy should be given more time.
Speaking about the decision, Trump said that preparations for the operation had already been completed and that a major attack was expected to take place.
“Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Iran asked me to stop the planned attack. Everything was ready, and a major strike was expected to happen,” Trump said.
He explained that the appeals from regional governments influenced his decision to delay military action.
“When friendly countries ask you to hold off on an attack, you say, ‘Let’s wait a little and see what happens.’ They made that request because they believed there was still an opportunity to reach an agreement,” Trump added.
Trump’s remarks suggest that regional partners encouraged Washington to prioritize diplomacy over immediate military action, believing negotiations still had a chance to prevent further escalation.
His comments come amid continued tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, as diplomatic efforts continue alongside heightened military readiness across the Middle East. Independent confirmation of Trump’s characterization of these conversations has not been publicly provided by the governments he mentioned.