President Donald Trump announced on May 18, 2026, that he has called off a planned military strike on Iran, originally scheduled for Tuesday, citing ongoing “serious negotiations” aimed at reaching a peace deal [1][2]. Trump stated that the U.S. military remains prepared to launch a “full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice,” should an acceptable agreement not be reached [1][3].
The decision to pause the attack came at the request of several Gulf Arab leaders, including the Emir of Qatar, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and the President of the United Arab Emirates [1][2]. Trump made this announcement via a social media post on Truth Social [4][5].
A senior U.S. official disclosed that Iran had submitted an updated peace proposal on Sunday through Pakistani mediators. However, the White House deemed the proposal insufficient [4].
What Is Known
Trump’s decision to halt the military strike was influenced by requests from key Gulf leaders [1][2]. The U.S. military remains on standby, prepared to act if negotiations fail [1][3]. The announcement was made publicly on May 18, 2026 [4][5].
What Remains Unclear
It is unclear whether the planned attack had been operationally prepared or was merely a strategic threat, as no independent confirmation beyond Trump’s statement has been reported [2]. Additionally, the specifics of the Iranian peace proposal and the reasons for its rejection by the White House have not been detailed [4].
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