WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States and Israel have agreed to postpone any planned military action against Iran, saying the decision is contingent on the rapid conclusion of an agreement aimed at ending months of heightened tensions.
In a statement posted late on Saturday on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Washington remained fully prepared to launch military operations if required, describing US military capabilities as being at an unprecedented level of readiness.
“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that… pic.twitter.com/Ylmlm06j3E
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 2, 2026
“The USA is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of military strength and power not seen since the Second World War,” Trump wrote.
Despite that readiness, the US president said he had decided to suspend any immediate action after receiving requests from Iran and several other Middle Eastern countries to refrain from launching attacks.
Trump said the decision had been taken in the interest of regional stability and global security, while expressing hope that diplomacy could still produce a lasting solution.
“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the world and the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a deal,” he said.
According to Trump, any future agreement must include the immediate, complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime trade routes, along with firm guarantees addressing Iran’s nuclear programme.
He added that Israel was fully aligned with the US position and supported the conditional pause in military action. “The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it done,” Trump said.
The announcement comes amid months of escalating regional tensions and follows repeated warnings from Washington over Iran’s nuclear activities and security concerns in the Gulf. While Trump’s statement signals a temporary shift towards diplomacy, he made it clear that military options remain available should negotiations fail.
Rubio says US strikes pushed Iran toward talks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has claimed that recent US military strikes have made Iran more willing to engage in negotiations, including discussions on its nuclear programme and the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to Fox News, Rubio said the attacks had significantly weakened Iran’s conventional military capabilities, while acknowledging that the country still possesses missiles and drones capable of carrying out attacks.
Iran rejects Trump’s claim it requested US to avoid fresh strikes
Iran on Sunday dismissed US President Donald Trump’s assertion that Tehran had requested Washington not to carry out any further military strikes, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.
Quoting military officials, the agency described the claim as “another falsehood,” stressing that Iran’s armed forces remain on high alert and fully prepared to respond to any potential threat.
