United States Cancels Planned Strikes on Iran as Negotiations Advance
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the United States has cancelled planned military strikes against Iran, citing progress in negotiations aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that “the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening” had been called off because negotiations had been “brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved.”
“The discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, and several Middle Eastern nations,” Trump wrote.
Potential Agreement Framework
The announcement came as Washington and Tehran appear to be moving toward a memorandum of understanding that could halt hostilities. According to sources familiar with the diplomatic efforts, a formal memorandum is likely to be signed early next week, launching a 60-day period to negotiate the details of a comprehensive agreement.
Under the proposed framework as outlined by the U.S. side, Iran would commit to a 15-to-20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment and the dismantling of its nuclear facilities. In exchange, Tehran would receive phased financial relief tied to strict compliance with the agreement.
The Strait of Hormuz—a critical shipping route through which approximately one-fifth of globally traded crude oil normally passes—would be de-mined and reopened under the arrangement. Trump indicated that Vice President JD Vance would attend the signing ceremony, which could take place in Europe as early as this weekend. However, the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain in effect until a final agreement is reached.
Iranian Response and Red Lines
However, Tehran’s public stance directly contradicts Trump’s assertion of a finalized approval, highlighting a significant discrepancy between the two sides’ public narratives. Hours after the U.S. announcement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that “Iran has not reached a final conclusion on the agreement.”
“The status of the negotiations was clear to us from the outset, and most of the text had already been finalized, but the Americans kept changing their positions,” Baghaei said via Iranian state media. “Iran has proven that it does not compromise on what it has defined as its red lines.”
Iranian officials maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed as of Thursday, with the situation remaining volatile amid ongoing diplomatic exchanges.
Regional Dynamics and Ongoing Tensions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the prospective memorandum with Trump by phone. While Israel is not a formal party to the agreement, Netanyahu expressed support for the commitment that the final deal must include removing Iran’s enriched nuclear material, dismantling enrichment facilities, limiting missile production, and ending support for regional proxy groups.
The diplomatic development follows a second consecutive day of military exchanges between U.S. and Iranian forces. U.S. Central Command recently conducted strikes against multiple Iranian targets, while Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps launched missiles at American bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Throughout the escalation, Pakistan and Qatar have been mediating between the two sides through back-channel negotiations.