US President Donald Trump said he would order US forces to hold off on new military strikes against Iran for now, claiming that US allies in the Middle East had reached a basic agreement on a new deal to end the five-month conflict.
In a social media post on Saturday (August 1), Trump said the potential deal would include keeping the Strait of Hormuz fully open and eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat.
He said he agreed to suspend the attack on condition that a deal be reached quickly, considering the stability of the world and the future of a prosperous Iran. Trump also claimed that Israel had also agreed to work with the United States in this diplomatic effort to end the war.
However, there was no immediate official response from Iran on this matter.
Saudi Arabia’s concerns
Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone with Trump to express concerns about a potential escalation of the conflict. A source familiar with the discussions said that Riyadh fears that Iran could retaliate by targeting energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.
New travel warning for the Middle East
In light of the conflict, the US State Department has issued a new travel warning, advising US citizens in Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to be prepared for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions.