Trump says he is cancelling strikes on Iran subject to deal being made 'rapidly'

Donald Trump stated he has cancelled strikes against Iran provided a deal was struck "rapidly" with the country. In a post on Truth Social, the US president claimed he was asked by Iran and other countries in the Middle East to "hold off" on any attack as the "perimeters" of a deal had been agreed, which he said would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending Iran's nuclear threat. Trump further said the US was "locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II".

His comments followed US media reports that Washington may have been planning new, intense strikes on Iran over the weekend. Earlier on Saturday, Tehran accused the US of escalating tensions, saying any regional state co-operating with Washington would be "engulfed by the flames of war". The US government urged Americans across the Middle East to be alert and ready to leave "should there be escalation" in the region. Multiple sources had told CBS News, the BBC's American media partner, that the US and Israel were planning what would be one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date against energy infrastructure targets in Iran. The plan came up during Trump's cabinet meeting on Friday. Iran has not yet responded to Trump's announcement.