Gulf Leaders Deny Knowing About Trump’s Claimed Iran Attack Pause
Gulf leaders disputed Trump’s claim about delaying planned Iran attack.
US President Donald Trump said he decided to pause a planned military strike against Iran after appeals from Gulf leaders seeking more time for diplomacy, but officials from some of those countries later said they were unaware of any imminent attack plan. The conflicting accounts emerged amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme and the broader regional conflict in the Middle East.
Trump said on Monday that leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had urged him not to proceed with military action against Iran. According to the US president, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan told Washington that serious negotiations were underway and requested additional time for diplomatic efforts. Trump said he agreed to “hold off” on the strike, which he claimed had been planned for Tuesday.
However, officials from some of the Gulf nations later told The Wall Street Journal that they had “no knowledge” of any planned US military operation against Iran. The remarks appeared to cast doubt on Trump’s account of the diplomatic exchanges and added to uncertainty surrounding Washington’s strategy in the region.
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Despite announcing a pause, Trump indicated that military action against Iran remained a possibility if nuclear negotiations failed. Speaking at the White House, he said the United States had come close to launching another strike and that he had been “an hour away” from approving the operation before stepping back. He added that Washington could still carry out an attack within days if talks with Tehran did not progress.
Trump also repeated his administration’s position that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. He claimed Iranian leaders were now “begging” for a deal and warned that time was running out for Tehran to reach an agreement with Washington. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president said Iran needed to act “FAST” or face severe consequences.
The latest developments come as tensions continue to rise following large-scale US and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28. Diplomatic efforts aimed at easing the confrontation have so far shown little progress, while the conflict has continued to unsettle the Middle East and contribute to volatility in global energy markets.
Also Read: Trump Postpones Planned Iran Attack Following Requests From Gulf Allies
