President Donald Trump said peace talks with Iran will take place on Monday, after he called off what he described as strikes on the scale of World War II. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said negotiations with Tehran would begin in the afternoon, expressing confidence that a deal can be reached over the strategic Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Trump: Gulf allies urged restraint
“Obviously they don’t want to be attacked. They knew the extent of the attack because they saw it forming,” Trump said. “Now what we’re doing is we’re talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon.”
Trump said the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar had asked him to call off the strikes. “When the allies ask to call it off, you’ve got to sort of say, well let's see,” he said. “The reason they asked is they think there's a deal, there's a deal on Hormuz and there will be a deal on the nuclear – or you might call it the denuclearisation of Iran, I call it the denuclearisation of Iran.”
The president’s comments followed a Truth Social post on Saturday in which he wrote that the US military was “locked and loaded” for what he cast as an unprecedented campaign against Iran. That post came as American forces were reportedly poised to launch strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, but Trump said he decided to hold off after hearing from key Gulf leaders and at the request of unnamed Iranian officials.
Regional diplomacy in overdrive
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held phone calls with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir to discuss diplomatic efforts, according to Iran's state media. Local media also reported that negotiations between Tehran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz were in their final stages. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the talks were focused on agreeing on a new route through the strait, adding that it had “no link to the Strait of Hormuz being opened or closed. That is a separate discussion.”
The diplomatic flurry came as the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an explosion in close proximity to a tanker off the coast of Oman. The incident occurred about 20 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman. The ship and its crew were reported safe. Similar attacks have been blamed on Iran or its proxies in recent months, as Tehran has repeatedly struck vessels attempting to transit the strait without its authorisation.
Oil markets react
Oil prices skidded on Monday as hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough grew. Brent crude futures sank more than 6 per cent to $82.41 a barrel after Trump said talks with Iran would happen. The drop came after a weekend of heightened tension, during which the president had threatened a massive attack. Analysts noted that any deal that reopens vital shipping lanes and eases sanctions would likely bring more supply to the market, pressuring prices further.
The cost-of-living implications of the war have become a major political issue. As an April ceasefire in the war unravelled last month, benchmark Brent crude futures jumped 24 per cent, and economists have warned of further price rises. Trump has argued that his stated goal of keeping Iran from gaining nuclear weapons justifies higher fuel costs in the near term, but the economic pain has put pressure on his administration to find a way to end the conflict.
Saudi role and Gulf security concerns
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman played a particularly important role in Trump's decision to turn away from escalation, according to a person briefed on a phone call between the two leaders on Saturday. The crown prince conveyed that an escalation in fighting could have a severe impact on the global economy if Tehran responded to a new US bombardment by targeting some of America's Gulf allies. Saudi officials have underscored in their engagements with the Trump administration that the kingdom is in a good position to defend itself against further potential Iranian strikes, as are fellow energy titans Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, but that Kuwait could be more vulnerable to attacks by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.
The Saudis, according to a person familiar with the call, are concerned that Tehran could respond with attacks on the energy infrastructure of the kingdom and other Gulf countries. The crown prince sought clarity from Trump on what potential new action he was weighing to take against Iran. A White House official confirmed the leaders spoke but did not offer any detail. Trump said on Air Force One that he had asked the crown prince directly: “What would you rather do? Would you rather us do this or not?” The prince and other Gulf leaders replied that they would “much prefer a deal as opposed to an attack, because you don't know where these attacks lead.”
Israel closely coordinating with Washington
Israel's Energy Minister Eli Cohen said there was close security and intelligence coordination between Israel and the US on everything happening in the region. But he added: “With or without an agreement, and regardless of any external commitments, if Iran attempts to renew its nuclear program or advance its ballistic missile industries, we will be there. We will take action, and we will strike.” Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington on Tuesday, with an Israeli official saying they had explored all possible paths to curb Iran's nuclear program, including diplomacy, economic pressure and force. Tehran denies it is seeking a nuclear weapon.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes struck Gaza for a second consecutive day on Sunday, killing at least 18 Palestinians, according to medics. The renewed violence unfolded despite Trump's announcement of a breakthrough in efforts to implement last year's ceasefire agreement. From dawn, Israeli warplanes targeted Gaza City in the north, the central city of Deir al-Balah, and the southern area of Khan Younis, marking the highest daily death toll in weeks. Palestinian health officials reported that a man and his wife were killed in an airstrike on an apartment in Deir al-Balah, while a father, mother, and their 9-year-old son were killed in a strike on a house in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis. Israeli Energy Minister Cohen said there was no deal to halt attacks on Gaza and that he saw a need for Israel, which already controls 70 per cent of the Strip, to take full control of it.
Nuclear diplomacy and regional fears
Trump has said that a deal with Iran would include the “Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran's nuclear threat.” On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the June memorandum of understanding would be the focal point of Iran's foreign policy. “I believe this memorandum will be the center of gravity of our foreign relations in the future,” Pezeshkian wrote on X. “We must strive to compel the enemy to remain committed to what it has signed. The security of the country, the region, and our allies will be enhanced by this memorandum.”
The renewed focus on diplomacy has also raised questions about a potential nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has long said it will only seek to acquire a nuclear weapon if its rival Iran develops one. With the latest conflict failing to curb Tehran's nuclear programme, a new Saudi-American civilian nuclear deal has prompted experts to warn that the agreement could plunge the region into further instability. In 2018, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: “We do not want to develop a nuclear bomb. But without doubt, if Iran developed one we would follow suit as soon as possible.”
US military readiness and domestic pressure
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US military remains primed for action against Iran after Trump called off the planned attacks. Writing on X on Sunday night, Hegseth said the Pentagon “was ready to go — and remains ready — at levels not seen since World War 2.” Trump also declined to provide a deadline for negotiations. “We'll just see how it is. We're ready to go any time we want. Would I rather make a deal? I'm not looking to kill people,” Trump said. “We don't want that.”
A new AP-NORC poll suggests Americans are growing increasingly skeptical of the war with Iran, with about two-thirds saying the conflict has not been worth fighting and support for Trump's handling of the war slipping. The survey found just 28% of US adults approve of Trump's handling of Iran, down from 34% last month. Support also dipped among Republicans, with 61% approving, compared with 71% in June. The economic strain has been compounded by Houthi threats in Yemen against the Bab el-Mandeb, another vital shipping route, while the State Department issued new security alerts on Saturday urging US citizens in the region to prepare for possible flight cancellations, temporary airspace closures and other travel disruptions. The warnings covered Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Executions and continued hostilities
Iran executed two Iranian nationals on Sunday after accusing them of sending sensitive military and security location coordinates to Israel during the Iran-war, according to the Fars news agency. The executions underscore the deep mistrust that remains even as diplomatic channels reopen. Meanwhile, Iran's acting defence minister, Brigadier General Majid Ebn Al-Reza, said Tehran viewed recent US threats as “psychological and cognitive warfare” but added that Iran would boost preparedness and deterrence. “We will neither be caught off guard nor remain passive,” he said.
A regional official involved in mediation efforts said the latest proposal calls for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan. The US, in exchange, would end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil as stated in the tentative ceasefire deal. No deal has been reached yet, but mediation efforts are underway. As the world watches, the fragile path to peace remains fraught with obstacles, but both sides appear willing to keep talking.
Source: MSN News