US President Donald Trump has said he ordered a pause in military strikes against Iran to allow diplomatic negotiations another opportunity, warning that Washington is prepared to resume large-scale military action if the talks fail.
Speaking on the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump said discussions aimed at easing tensions with Tehran were progressing but stressed that patience was limited.
“We are in very deep talks with Iran. If they don’t work out, we will go back to very strong military action,” he said.
Asked how long he was willing to allow negotiations to continue, Trump replied: “Not much time. Either it goes fast or not at all.”
According to reports, the current diplomatic push is focused on reaching an agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and revive broader negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
While Oman is leading direct talks with Iran, regional countries including Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt are also involved in mediation efforts, alongside Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Explaining his decision to suspend military operations, Trump said regional mediators had urged the United States to give diplomacy another chance.
“All of the people that deal with Iran asked me: ‘Don’t fire,'” he said.
The US president expressed confidence that Tehran was interested in reaching an agreement, describing the pause in military action as a calculated move.
“Nothing gained, nothing lost,” Trump added.
He also noted that oil prices fell while global stock markets rose following the suspension of military operations.
For the first time in two weeks, US military commanders were reportedly instructed to halt planned strikes on Iranian assets along the country’s southern coast and around the Strait of Hormuz. The order followed a high-level security briefing in which military officials presented updated operational plans, with internal discussions ultimately shifting in favour of a temporary pause.
Regional sources said Oman-mediated negotiations have made notable progress, although no final agreement has yet been reached.
As part of the diplomatic effort, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi has held consultations with his counterparts in Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Egypt. According to official statements, the discussions focused on developing practical and sustainable measures to safeguard maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
One proposal under consideration would allow regional states, including Iran and Oman, to collect service fees for maritime security and environmental protection, similar to arrangements used in the Strait of Malacca. Another option would channel the revenues into a joint fund managed with the participation of the International Maritime Organization.
Trump is also expected to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, where Iran will be a key topic of discussion.
“I am going to talk to Bibi about the fact that if I weren’t president, Iran would have had nuclear weapons by now and Israel would have been destroyed,” Trump said.
