U.S. and Iran Exchange New Peace Offers After Trump Cancels Planned Strikes

President Trump on Monday called off planned military strikes on Iran that had been scheduled for Tuesday. He cited requests from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, along with the possibility of reaching a deal that meets U.S. requirements.

Trump said serious negotiations are now taking place and that Middle East allies believe a deal acceptable to the United States and other countries will be reached. The deal would include no nuclear weapons for Iran.

Background on the Conflict The latest developments follow a multi-week ceasefire that began nearly a month ago. Washington sent a revised set of demands to Tehran after rejecting an earlier Iranian proposal, and Iranian officials responded through Pakistani mediators.

The U.S. proposal reportedly included a partial unfreezing of Iranian assets and the waiving of sanctions on Iranian oil. Officials said whether Iran's latest counteroffer is suitable could determine if strikes resume.

Trump told the military to be prepared to launch a full, large-scale assault on Iran on a moment's notice if an acceptable deal is not reached. He wrote on social media that the clock is ticking for Iran. A Republican senator from South Carolina urged Trump to renew strikes, saying a short but forceful response would reset the conflict.

Middle East allies, however, asked for patience to allow negotiations to continue.