Trump halts 'powerful' Iran strike, says talks on Strait of Hormuz and denuclearisation begin Monday afternoon

The halted strike

Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that a major military strike on Iran had been prepared and was ready to launch before he called it off. "Everything was ready to go, (…) it would have been a powerful attack," he said. The president was returning to Washington from his golf course in New Jersey when he disclosed the reversal.

Trump said he halted the operation because Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran asked him to do so. Iranian state media denied that Tehran had requested the cancellation. Earlier media speculation had pointed to a possible joint US-Israeli strike on Iranian energy infrastructure in the coming days, described as one of the strongest yet.

The diplomatic channel

Trump announced that negotiations with Iran would begin on Monday afternoon. He gave no details on the venue, format or participants. "We are talking to them in the form of negotiations. They begin on Monday afternoon," he said. The president set no deadline for reaching an agreement.

The talks are framed around two sequential deals: first, an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, and later a deal on Iran's denuclearisation. Trump left the military option explicitly on the table. "We'll see. We can do it whenever we want," he said, adding that he would prefer a deal because he does not want to kill people.

The Saudi backchannel

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman played a central role in the de-escalation, according to US outlet Axios. In a phone call with Trump, the crown prince urged a reduction of tensions, warning that the planned strikes could provoke Iranian retaliation against Saudi and Gulf oil infrastructure. The four regional states that Trump named (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Iran) all believed a deal was within reach, the president said.

The reason they asked is that they think there is a deal. There is a deal on the Strait of Hormuz, and then there will be a deal on Iran's denuclearisation.

Iran's parallel track with Oman

On Sunday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran and Oman were close to an agreement on a new shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz. He stressed that the planned deal does not address whether the blockade of the strategic waterway would be maintained or lifted. Foreign minister Abbas Aragczi had earlier said talks with Oman were in their final stage. Omani authorities have not yet commented.

Oil markets react

Crude prices fell sharply at the opening of the Asian trading session on Monday after Trump's announcement. Around 22:50 GMT on Sunday, Brent crude for September delivery dropped 4.69% to $83.81 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate fell 4.67% to $80.72 per barrel. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil flows, and the prospect of its reopening drove the immediate repricing.