US President Donald Trump has announced that he has halted planned strikes on Iran on the 19th of May at the request of the Gulf states, as serious negotiations are currently underway, writes the BBC.
Trump indicated in a post on the social network Truth Social that the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had asked to stop the attack. He said that he had received information that an agreement could be reached that would be very acceptable to the United States, and at the end of the post he added that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. However, Trump added that the United States is ready to carry out a large-scale attack on Iran at any time if an agreement is not reached. In turn, a senior Iranian military commander has called on the United States to avoid repeated strategic mistakes and miscalculations.
The US president’s latest statement comes as his approval ratings are plummeting and he is increasingly unpopular. According to a New York Times/Siena poll, about 64% of voters believe that going to war with Iran was the wrong decision. The poll also found that only 37% of voters rate Trump’s presidency as a success. The results reflect the challenges facing the Republican Party in the midterm elections in November. Public dissatisfaction with the war and Trump’s ability to deal with economic issues, immigration and other issues is growing.
Israel and the United States launched a wide-ranging attack on Iran on the 28th of February, to which Tehran responded with drone and missile strikes on targets in the Middle East that are linked to the United States and Israel.
A significant factor in the current situation is the fear of the Persian Gulf states that Iran will retaliate
for further US strikes on its territory. Iran is known to still have a significant number of drones and missiles with which it could resume attacks on neighboring countries, their airports, oil refineries and even the crucial desalination plants that provide drinking water.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said that the developments were positive, but it remains to be seen whether any results will be achieved. He said that there have been times before when it seemed like an agreement was reached, but it did not happen, but this time it is different. Trump stressed that he sees the possibility of concluding a deal with Iran, and he would be very happy if it could be achieved without “hell of bombing.” So far, the ceasefire, which was concluded to allow for negotiations, has held.
Iran continues to control the Strait of Hormuz, a very important transit route for the export of energy resources of the Persian Gulf states. The move, in response to US and Israeli strikes, has pushed up international oil prices. Meanwhile, the US has imposed a naval blockade to prevent ships from leaving or entering Iranian ports.
On the evening of the 18th of May, Iran’s Tasnim news agency published a warning by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei that hostilities could begin in places where the enemy is inexperienced and vulnerable. However, Tasnim appears to have republished Khamenei’s remarks from March.
Iran also said on teh 18th of May that it had responded to the latest US offer through Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator in the talks, and Iranian media reported that the Americans had failed to offer any concrete concessions.
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