Trump says he puts planned Iran strike on hold

US President Donald Trump said that he has put a planned large-scale military strike against Iran on hold, citing progress toward what he described as a potential agreement aimed at easing tensions over Tehran's nuclear programme.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday (August 1), Trump said the decision followed appeals from Iran and several countries in the Middle East, adding that the two sides had made progress on the basic framework of a possible deal.

"A foundation has been established for an agreement," Trump said, while urging negotiators to move quickly to finalize it.

He also claimed that, if the agreement is reached, the Strait of Hormuz would immediately reopen without restrictions and the long-running crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear program could be resolved.

Iran has not immediately commented on Trump's remarks.

Earlier on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Saudi counterpart during a telephone conversation that Tehran would respond with a "proportionate" retaliation if the United States or Israel launched military action against Iran.

Meanwhile, US news outlet Axios, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had urged Trump during a phone call on Saturday to abandon plans for military action and return to diplomacy.

Trump's latest comments marked a shift in tone after he warned on Friday that Washington was prepared to take "very tough" military action against Iran if necessary.

As regional tensions continued to rise, the US State Department on Saturday issued updated security alerts for American citizens in 10 countries across the Middle East. The advisory urged US nationals to exercise maximum caution and consider leaving the region if conditions deteriorate.

Source: Al Jazeera