US President Donald Trump says he has decided to pause planned military strikes on Iran because, according to him, negotiations have reached the outline of a possible agreement. Trump said Iran and several Middle Eastern countries asked the United States to hold off on further attacks while diplomats work to finalise the deal.
The agreement Trump has referred to is still only a preliminary framework, and no final deal has been officially signed. According to reports, the proposed arrangement would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, steps to reduce concerns over Iran's nuclear programme, a halt to regional attacks and a return to broader diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important oil shipping routes. Any disruption there can drive up global oil prices and affect international trade. Reopening the waterway is therefore seen as a key objective for both regional and global economic stability.
Despite Trump's announcement, many details remain unclear. Neither the full terms of the proposed agreement nor a timeline for its implementation have been made public. Analysts also caution that negotiations remain fragile and could still break down if either side rejects the final terms.
For now, the United States has paused additional attacks while diplomacy continues, but Trump has indicated that military action could resume if the negotiations fail or if Iran does not honour the proposed commitments.