By Gloria Ogbonna
The United States was reportedly just hours away from launching another major military operation against Iran on Thursday night when President Donald Trump made the unexpected decision to call off the strikes, citing significant progress in negotiations with Tehran and the possibility of a historic agreement aimed at ending the escalating crisis.
According to a report from NBC News, U.S. military forces had already been fully positioned for action, with preparations well underway for what would have been the third consecutive night of American strikes against Iranian targets. Military commanders had received operational orders, naval forces had adjusted air operations, and munitions had been prepared for deployment. The mission was reportedly only three hours away from execution when Trump intervened and ordered the operation halted.
The dramatic last-minute decision highlights just how close the United States and Iran came to a further military escalation after days of rising tensions in the region. U.S. forces had already carried out strikes targeting Iranian military surveillance systems, communications networks, and air defense installations as part of an effort to pressure Tehran into accepting a U.S.-backed framework for a new agreement concerning Iran’s nuclear activities.
Officials familiar with the planned operation said Thursday’s proposed strikes were expected to closely mirror those conducted the previous night. However, despite public speculation and strong rhetoric from Washington, Iran’s critical oil export facility on Kharg Island was not among the intended targets. Earlier in the day, Trump had publicly warned that the United States could eventually seize control of Kharg Island and other strategic Iranian energy assets if tensions continued to escalate.
Sources indicated that military planning continued throughout Thursday as officials anticipated the operation would move forward. Expectations intensified after Trump publicly warned that the United States was prepared to hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT.” Behind the scenes, however, diplomatic efforts were accelerating as regional allies worked urgently to prevent another round of military action.
According to Politico, senior officials from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan engaged in high-level discussions with the White House after Trump’s warning. These regional mediators reportedly assured the president that negotiations with Iran had reached a critical stage and that a breakthrough agreement was within reach. Their diplomatic outreach is believed to have played a significant role in convincing Trump to suspend the planned strikes and allow negotiations to continue.
Later Thursday, Trump expressed optimism about the ongoing talks and suggested that Iran’s highest leadership had approved the framework of the proposed agreement. Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office, Trump indicated that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had likely endorsed the emerging deal.
When questioned about his confidence in the negotiations after several previous attempts had failed, Trump pointed to the military pressure campaign conducted against Iran in recent days.
“They’ve taken a pounding,” Trump said. “They’ve taken a pounding like very few people could take. And they want to make a deal a lot more than I do.”
The president repeatedly emphasized that the central objective of the negotiations remains preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Trump stated that any final agreement would include strict measures ensuring Tehran could neither develop nor acquire a nuclear arsenal.
“They will not have a nuclear weapon,” Trump declared. “They will not only not have, they will not purchase, develop in any way, shape, or form a nuclear weapon.”
Earlier in the day, Trump announced the apparent breakthrough on Truth Social, revealing that military action had been suspended because negotiations had advanced to the highest levels of the Iranian government. He stated that the framework agreement had been approved in principle and suggested that a formal signing ceremony could be announced soon.
Although military strikes were canceled, Trump noted that the U.S. naval blockade surrounding Iran would remain in place until the agreement is fully finalized and implemented.
During a virtual tele-rally Thursday evening, the president went even further, declaring that the conflict had effectively been resolved.
“I don’t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today and they have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “That was the whole purpose.”
He added that the agreement would allow for a reduction in military tensions and potentially lead to troops and personnel returning home in the near future.
“Probably you heard that today we settled up with Iran. We made a great deal,” Trump said. “There’ll be no nuclear weapons. People will start coming home very soon. It’s pretty much completed. We got everything we wanted.”
Despite Trump’s confidence, Iranian officials have been more cautious in their public statements. Tehran has acknowledged that negotiations have made significant progress, but officials insist that a final agreement has not yet been reached.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that much of the negotiating text has already been completed but emphasized that Iranian leaders have not yet made a final decision regarding the proposed deal.
“Iran has not yet reached a final decision regarding an agreement,” Baghaei said, according to Iranian state media.
Nevertheless, multiple reports indicate that negotiators have narrowed several major areas of disagreement in recent days. Diplomatic sources say mediators from Qatar and Pakistan have helped bridge differences concerning the release of frozen Iranian financial assets, the reopening of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, and the framework for future negotiations involving Iran’s nuclear program.
The developments have also drawn close attention from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Trump following the president’s announcement, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
During their conversation, Netanyahu reportedly welcomed Trump’s commitment to ensuring that any final agreement would include the removal of enriched nuclear material from Iran, the dismantling of key enrichment facilities, restrictions on missile development programs, and an end to Iranian support for regional militant and terrorist organizations.
As negotiations enter what officials describe as their final stage, the world is watching closely. While significant hurdles remain before a formal agreement is signed, Thursday’s dramatic cancellation of military strikes may prove to be a pivotal moment in efforts to avoid a broader regional conflict and secure a long-term framework aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Source Breitbart
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