The United States intended to attack Iran sometime Tuesday, but those plans were put on hold on the eve of the expected assault after a last-minute intervention by other Middle Eastern leaders, President Donald Trump explained in a social media post.
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The president’s announcement Monday was the first official indication that the U.S. had planned to resume hostilities. In his post, Trump credited the decision not to launch the attack to requests by leaders of other countries in the region, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Trump added that “serious negotiations” with Iran were underway and reiterated his demand that the country’s leaders abandon their nuclear weapons program. He went on to warn that the U.S. national defense team has been ordered “to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event an acceptable deal is not reached.”
A U.S. Sailor observes as an MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51, taking off from the flight deck of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) as it patrols the Arabian Sea enforci
Iranian leaders had previously sent a revised 14-point plan to Pakistan for mediators to present to U.S. officials on Monday. Reports on the proposal did not indicate whether it included concessions on Iran’s nuclear program.
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Also on Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the toll taken on his country by the war and urged other high-ranking officials to avoid any tone or voices that create division, but we must also face reality.”
Here is the latest:
85 ships redirected
6:22 a.m. ET: The United States military has turned around a total of 85 vessels at the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports is designed to hurt Iran’s economy by limiting their oil exports, forcing Tehran to a deal to end the war.
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