In a late-night post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the US military stood ready “with all its might,” but that Iran and other countries in the region had asked for restraint. He set conditions for a deal: the “complete” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to the “nuclear threat emanating from Iran.” Israel, he added, would also hold off on attacking Iran for now.
Only on Friday, Trump had announced he wanted to strike Iran “very hard.” According to US media reports, a major attack on Iranian targets, including energy infrastructure, was imminent. Tehran then threatened retaliatory strikes on Israel and Gulf states. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Saturday of a new military escalation.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump on Saturday and called for de-escalation, as the US news site Axios reported. Saudi Arabia had recently, for the first time, officially taken part in a military strike against pro-Iranian forces. The Strait of Hormuz is crucial for oil and gas exports from the Gulf states; Tehran uses the de facto blockade as leverage.
Source: www.spiegel.de
