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By Jordan King and Steve Mollman
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President Donald Trump said on Saturday he agreed to cancel an attack on Iran so the countries could "rapidly make a deal" that includes the "complete and total opening" of the Strait of Hormuz.
"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," Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Saturday night.
"Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to," he said, adding later that he had agreed "for the benefit of the world."
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It comes after Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud called Trump to urge de-escalation and diplomacy, Saudi Arabia’s official state news agency reported on Sunday.
The White House previously said that Trump was weighing new strikes on Iran while the U.S. government has urged Americans in the Middle East to have heightened vigilance, and be prepared for flight cancellations and travel disruption.
America and Iran have exchanged strikes and counter-strikes since their ceasefire broke down in June.
Trump’s Conditional Reprieve for Iran
Trump’s announcement came one day after CBS News reported that the United States and Israel were preparing a major bombing campaign against Iranian energy infrastructure, potentially beginning over the weekend.
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The proposed targets included power plants and oil refineries, while senior officials also discussed cutting electricity across Tehran. Trump had not issued a final order, according to the outlet, which cited sources briefed on the talks.
Axios separately reported, citing a U.S. official, that Trump was seriously considering strikes within days as a means of pressuring Tehran to accept U.S. terms in ceasefire negotiations. The possible operation could have brought Israel back into direct combat against Iran and risked renewed Iranian missile attacks on Israel.
Trump’s decision to cancel the attack is conditional, however, as he said it is "subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL." He added that Israel had joined the U.S. commitment.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he had called off what he described as a "massive" planned attack on Iran after appeals from regional allies, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, as well as from Iran itself.
Trump said those countries had urged him to pursue diplomacy because they believed a deal was within reach. He also said new talks would begin Monday and expressed confidence that an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a broader accord on Iran's nuclear program.
The comments also came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian weighed in on X Sunday, writing, "The memorandum that was signed is the result of the collective wisdom of Shura Council's members, and all members are in sympathy with it. I believe this memorandum will be the center of gravity of our foreign relations in the future."
He added: "We must strive to compel the enemy to remain committed to what it has signed. The security of the country, the region, and our allies will be enhanced by this memorandum."
Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, who resigned earlier this year over the administration's Iran policy, welcomed Trump's decision.
In a post on X Sunday, he called the move "a good decision" and argued that using military force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz risked "a catastrophic escalation into a bloody, years-long war." Kent urged Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from the region and pursue reopening the waterway through diplomacy and sanctions relief rather than force.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia reacted to the U.S. warning advising Americans in the Middle East to be prepared to leave if tensions worsen. Sharing a screenshot of a BBC headline reading, "US urges its citizens in Middle East to be ready to leave in case of escalation," Kaine wrote on X on Sunday evening: "Can I rewrite this headline to make it accurate? Americans Urge US to Leave Escalating Middle East Conflict."
Before Trump’s announcement, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with the president and emphasized "the need to prioritize dialogue to reduce escalation," according to the Saudi Press Agency. He also called for efforts to secure calm, enable diplomatic solutions and prevent the conflict from widening.
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Why Saudi Arabia Fears Further Escalation With Iran
Saudi Arabia has reason to fear that renewed U.S. strikes on Iran could expose the kingdom to retaliation from Tehran and its allied groups across the region.
The country faces potential threats on several fronts. Iranian attacks on infrastructure and vessels in the Persian Gulf have disrupted operations along Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast, while Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has targeted shipping in the Red Sea—the alternative route for Saudi energy exports. The Houthis also control territory along the kingdom’s southern border and have previously launched cross-border missile attacks.
To the north, Iran-aligned militias in Iraq have targeted Saudi energy infrastructure with drones. U.S. and Saudi fighter aircraft responded on July 28 by striking weapons and logistics sites in eastern Iraq following more than 30 drone attacks over 72 hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
The threat to energy infrastructure is particularly sensitive for Riyadh. Saudi Arabia remains one of the world’s largest oil exporters, and attacks on production facilities, ports or shipping routes could disrupt international supplies and damage the kingdom’s economy. Escalation in both the Persian Gulf and Red Sea could also restrict its options for moving oil to overseas markets.
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A widening conflict could also undermine Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 program, which seeks to reduce Saudi Arabia’s reliance on oil and establish the kingdom as a global center for investment, logistics and tourism. Prolonged instability threatens investor confidence, supply chains and the development projects at the heart of that transformation.
Saudi Arabia has responded by strengthening its defenses without abandoning diplomacy. Riyadh has established a 14-country maritime defense alliance to protect shipping and freedom of navigation through strategic waterways.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Tony Phillips
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