US President Donald Trump has said that a planned attack on Iran was postponed following requests from Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, and added that serious negotiations are now underway. The Iranian side has also confirmed the development after President Masoud Pezeshkian said, “Dialogue does not mean surrender" and that Tehran had entered the “dialogue with dignity, authority, and the preservation of the nation’s rights”.
This comes a day after a New York Times-Siena University poll of more than 1,500 registered voters found that only 30 per cent supported the US war on Iran, while 64 per cent opposed further military action.
Earlier on Monday, Trump had issued a strong warning to Iran, urging it to compromise on its nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the “clock was ticking” for Iran to reach a peace deal or face “terrible consequences”.
Shortly after, Pakistan sent a senior minister to Tehran to convince the Iranian side to return to the negotiating table, as experts had predicted imminent US strikes.
The Iran-US war has now entered its 80th day, with both sides confronting each other for around 40 days while a ceasefire remains in place.
Regional experts and US analysts believe President Trump was on the verge of ordering military strikes on Iran within hours on Monday.
However, another phase of dangerous and potentially deadly escalation appears to have been avoided, thanks to mediation efforts and appeals from regional allies.
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