Image Credentials: Image Title: Trump Delays Planned US Strike on Iran After Gulf Leaders Push for Diplomacy. Source: (chatgpt.com) Date: May 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (chatgpt.com) by Open Chronicle and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Open Chronicle with agencies
US President Donald Trump announced Monday that Washington has postponed a planned military strike against Iran after direct appeals from Gulf leaders urging more time for diplomacy.
According to Trump, the United States had been preparing a major military operation against Iran scheduled for Tuesday, but the plan was suspended following requests from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Speaking on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Gulf leaders informed him that “serious negotiations are now taking place” and argued that there was still an opportunity to secure a diplomatic settlement with Tehran.
Trump said any potential agreement would include a strict guarantee preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, describing that condition as non-negotiable for Washington.
“This deal will include, importantly, no nuclear weapons for Iran,” the president wrote.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East following months of military escalation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Regional instability intensified after US and Israeli strikes against Iranian targets earlier this year, prompting Tehran to retaliate against Israeli positions and US-aligned Gulf states while tightening control over maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic waterway remains one of the world’s most critical energy corridors and has become a focal point of global concern due to disruptions in shipping and fears of broader conflict.
Trump said he instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Daniel Caine, and senior US military commanders to stand down from the planned operation “out of respect” for the Gulf leaders’ diplomatic efforts.
However, the president also warned that the Pentagon had been ordered to remain fully prepared for military action if negotiations fail.
“I have instructed our military leaders to be prepared to go forward with a full, large-scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, if an acceptable deal is not reached,” Trump said.
Only a day earlier, Trump had issued one of his sharpest warnings yet toward Tehran, declaring that “the clock is ticking” and cautioning Iranian leaders to move quickly toward an agreement “before there won’t be anything left of them.”
A fragile ceasefire between Iran and its regional adversaries has technically been in place since April 8 following mediation efforts led by Pakistan. Yet talks held afterward in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting political settlement, leaving the region in a state of continued uncertainty.
Diplomatic sources across the Gulf have increasingly pushed for de-escalation, fearing that a direct US-Iran war could destabilize energy markets, threaten shipping lanes, and trigger wider regional conflict involving multiple state and non-state actors.
The latest pause in military action is likely to offer temporary relief to global markets already shaken by tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing instability across the Middle East.