Trump calls off planned attack on Iran, leaves door open for potential agreement

US President Donald Trump has announced the cancellation of planned strikes on Iran, which were initially scheduled for Thursday, and hinted at the possibility of signing a deal with Tehran following high-level discussions.

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According to Trump, the decision to call off the strikes was made after "final points" were agreed upon by numerous countries, with the exception of Iran, and discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran had reached the highest level of Iranian leadership and gained approval.

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Trump revealed this development on his Truth Social network, stating that "discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved," including the United States, Israel, and regional allies who jointly launched the war in February.

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The US President also mentioned that the time and place of the potential signing of the deal will be announced shortly, and a US naval blockade of Iran will remain in place until then.

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There has been no immediate reaction from Iran regarding Trump's announcement, which comes after weeks of the US President alternating between proclaiming a potential deal and threatening Iran, including accusing Tehran of "playing us for suckers" as recently as Wednesday.

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Earlier on Thursday, Trump had vowed to launch "very hard" strikes on Iran that evening, with plans to take control of the country's key oil infrastructure, specifically mentioning the seizure of Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure points.

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Kharg Island, located off Iran's Gulf coast, is a crucial part of the country's oil export industry and a vital component of its economy, sitting hundreds of kilometers northwest of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

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Trump had previously discussed the possibility of seizing Kharg Island earlier in the US-Israeli war in Iran, which began on February 28, and has been subject to a fragile ceasefire since early April.

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The US leader's plan to seize Iran's oil terminals would likely require the involvement of US ground troops, although he expressed uncertainty about the feasibility of such an operation in a telephone interview with Fox News.

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Trump stated, "Look, my preference has always been to take Kharg Island," but then added, "I don't know that America has the stomach for it, to be honest," highlighting his own divided stance on the matter.

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Trump also emphasized his reluctance to deploy ground troops, saying "I don't want to have boots on the ground," but claimed that "if I wanted to, we could put a small group of soldiers and take over the whole place."

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In the same interview, Trump expressed his preference for avoiding strikes on Iran's civilian infrastructure, such as power plants and bridges, stating, "I'd rather not do it, because once you do that, the people suffer."

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Trump further vented his frustration with Iran, saying, "The whole thing is crazy, and they're really in submission, they just don't know it yet," as he pushed for a deal to end the war, open the Strait of Hormuz, and prevent the development of a nuclear weapon.

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Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed on Thursday to utilize Iranian funds to compensate for damages caused to Gulf allies.