We were locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of military strength and power not seen since World War II
By Moses Okorie
U.S. President Donald Trump says he has cancelled planned military strikes against Iran, saying the decision is conditional on Tehran reaching a deal with Washington “rapidly.”
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States, in coordination with Israel, decided to suspend the planned attacks to allow room for diplomacy.
According to him, the proposed agreement would require the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the elimination of what he described as Iran’s nuclear threat.
The announcement followed reports by U.S. media that Washington was considering a fresh wave of intensive strikes against Iran over the weekend amid heightened tensions in the region.
Trump claimed the U.S. military was fully prepared to launch a large-scale offensive against Iran.
“We were locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of military strength and power not seen since World War II,” he wrote.
He said the decision to halt the operation came after Iran and several Middle Eastern countries appealed for time to pursue a diplomatic resolution.
Trump further suggested that negotiations had made significant progress, stating that the broad parameters of a deal had already been agreed upon.
According to him, the proposed agreement includes the immediate, complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and measures to end Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran had not officially responded to Trump’s statement as of the time of filing this report.
Earlier on Saturday, Tehran accused Washington of escalating tensions in the region and warned that any neighbouring country assisting the United States in military action would be “engulfed by the flames of war.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. government issued a security alert advising American citizens across the Middle East to remain vigilant and be prepared for possible travel disruptions.
The advisory warned of potential flight cancellations, temporary airspace closures and other disruptions should the regional security situation deteriorate further.