Iran cautioned against any US or Israeli attack, warning of retaliatory strikes on regional energy infrastructure, as Middle East tensions remain on a knife’s edge.
BY PC Bureau
August 2: US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that he had shelved planned military strikes against Iran after receiving appeals from Tehran and several Middle Eastern nations, claiming that negotiations had advanced sufficiently to justify giving diplomacy another opportunity.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said discussions had reached a stage where the broad framework of an agreement was already in place. According to him, the proposed understanding would ensure the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and permanently eliminate concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Trump said Iran, along with other countries in the region, had urged Washington to refrain from launching military action while negotiations continued. Responding to those requests, he said he had decided to suspend the planned operation in the hope of securing a lasting agreement.
“I have agreed to cancel the attack,” Trump wrote, adding that the decision was taken in the interest of global stability and Iran’s future prosperity. However, he cautioned that the restraint would be temporary and dependent on the rapid conclusion of a deal.
Despite signalling a willingness to pursue diplomacy, Trump underlined that the US military remained fully prepared for combat. He declared that American forces were “locked and loaded,” warning that any failure of negotiations could result in an overwhelming military response unlike anything seen since the Second World War.
The US President also claimed that Israel had agreed to work alongside Washington in completing an agreement aimed at ending the conflict with Iran, which has continued for nearly five months. Israeli authorities had not publicly commented on Trump’s statement at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, Iran maintained its hardline position, warning Washington against any further military escalation. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi conveyed Tehran’s message during separate telephone conversations on Saturday with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
BREAKING: President Trump says he has cancelled the US attack on Iran and that the “perimeters of a deal” have been agreed to.
Trump says this deal will include “a total reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.” pic.twitter.com/QfmVV0BVGq
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) August 2, 2026
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According to Araqchi’s Telegram account, the discussions focused on the consequences of possible US military action and the risk of a wider regional conflict. During his conversation with the Saudi foreign minister, Araqchi reportedly warned that any attack by the United States or Israel—or assistance from regional countries—would be met with what he described as a proportionate Iranian response.
Separately, Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had spoken with Trump on Saturday to express concern over rising tensions and seek greater clarity on Washington’s intentions toward Iran.
Iranian media also issued fresh warnings. Nournews, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said any US strike targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure would prompt retaliatory attacks on oil installations in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as gas facilities in Qatar and Israel, threatening severe damage across the region.
