US Postpones Military Strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump said the decision following requests from Gulf leaders, including UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
By IAR Desk
May 18, 2026: In a stunning move, but which had been welcomed by much of the world, US President Donald Trump said he has postponed a planned military strike on Iran. The strike was scheduled for 19th May.
The President further explained in a Truth Social Post that he made the decision following requests from Gulf leaders, including UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Based on respect for the leaders,” he instructed US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Daniel Caine, and the US military not to proceed with tomorrow’s scheduled attack, he said.
In the same post he added that if no “acceptable” agreement is reached, the US is prepared to launch a “full, large-scale assault” on Iran at short notice.
This seemed a spectacular climb down for the White House as just a day before the President had warned on his Truth Social site that “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”
The latest post came after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that Tehran’s views had been “conveyed to the American side through Pakistan” but gave no details.
The Iranian proposal, as reported, appeared similar in many respects to Iran’s previous offer, which was rejected by President Trump.
The new proposal, according to reports, would focus first on securing an end to the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies, that Iran has effectively blockaded, and lifting maritime sanctions.
Issues about Iran’s nuclear programme and uranium enrichment – the most critical issue – would be deferred to later rounds of talks, the source said.
According to reports quoting unnamed sources inside Iran, Washington is prepared to allow a number of measures in favour of Iran. One, the United States had agreed to release a quarter of Iran’s frozen funds, totalling tens of billions of dollars, held in foreign banks. Iran wants all the assets released. The US has, also apparently, agreed to let Iran continue some peaceful nuclear activity under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
There has been no US confirmation on the above.
In a separate move, Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted an unidentified source as saying the US had agreed to waive oil sanctions on Iran while negotiations were under way.
Meanwhile, Iran has announced that it has set up a body to oversee future traffic along the Strait of Hormuz, passing through Iranian territorial waters and was in talks with Oman regarding constituting a toll over the transit through the Strait for all future shipping.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also warned it may impose permit requirements on internet cables running through the Strait of Hormuz, adding a new layer of pressure around the strategic waterway.
Shipping rebounded through the Strait of Hormuz after a wartime low, with 55 vessels passing May 11–17, up from 19 the previous week, according to shipping data.
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