President Donald Trump said Thursday he canceled planned U.S. strikes against Iran, citing what he described as high-level progress toward a regional peace agreement. In a social media statement, Trump said discussions with Iran had reached senior Iranian leadership and that “final points” had been approved by the United States, Israel, and several Middle Eastern and regional governments. He said details of a signing would be announced soon.
Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed Trump’s account or announced concessions on nuclear issues or control of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States says its naval blockade of Iranian ports in the strait will remain in place until an agreement is finalized.
The announcement marked a reversal from earlier Thursday, when Trump warned that Iran would be hit “very hard” and threatened future U.S. control of Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure. Kharg Island is Iran’s main oil export terminal and has previously been cited by Trump in warnings to Tehran.
Iran responded to those threats by warning against attacks on its infrastructure. Iran’s joint military command said energy exports would either remain available to all or to none, while parliament speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf warned that strikes on infrastructure could create an “endless quagmire.”
The latest developments followed two days of exchanges between U.S. and Iranian forces. U.S. Central Command said it conducted self-defense strikes after blaming Iran for the downing of a U.S. Army helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran later struck U.S. bases in Jordan and Gulf countries.
Conflicting statements also emerged over the strait’s status. Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority declared it closed, citing U.S. military tensions, while CENTCOM said the waterway remained open. The strait, a key route for global oil shipments, has contributed to energy market volatility. Washington has sanctioned Iran’s strait authority.