Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that a planned large-scale military strike on Iran was called off following requests from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Iran.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he decided to halt the operation after appeals from countries in the region, adding that if the attack had taken place, it would have been the largest military strike since World War II.
The U.S. president said his priority is to reach an agreement rather than engage in military conflict.
“I don’t want to kill people. My preference is to make a deal,” Trump said, adding that several U.S. allies in the Middle East also support a diplomatic solution instead of military action.
Trump further announced that talks with Iran were scheduled to begin later in the day and said contacts with Tehran were continuing under an agreed negotiation framework.
He also claimed that there is already an understanding regarding the Strait of Hormuz and expressed confidence that an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program could also be achieved.
“An agreement is the better path. If negotiations fail, the conflict could escalate further,” Trump warned.
The remarks come amid ongoing regional tensions, although the claims regarding the cancelled strike and the reported requests from Gulf states have not been independently verified.
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