By Saqib S. Qureshi
A dramatic shift in the Iran crisis unfolded Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had canceled planned military strikes against Iran, claiming that negotiations had reached the highest levels of Iranian leadership and that a deal could be signed soon. However, Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed Trump's claims, raising fresh questions about the status of any potential agreement.
The announcement came only hours after Trump issued some of his strongest threats of the conflict, warning that the United States would hit Iran "very hard" and suggesting Washington could take control of Iran's strategic Kharg Island, the country's main oil-export hub.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said he had canceled the strikes because discussions with Iran had been approved at the highest level and that final details had been agreed upon by multiple regional partners, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Egypt. He added that the U.S. naval blockade would remain in place until the agreement is finalized and signed.
Despite Trump's optimism, reports from Tehran indicate that Iranian officials have not publicly endorsed his version of events. Iranian media and government-linked sources have questioned the existence of a finalized agreement, reflecting a familiar pattern in which Washington and Tehran present sharply different accounts of ongoing negotiations.
The sudden diplomatic turn had an immediate impact on global markets. Oil prices fell after investors interpreted Trump's decision as a sign that the three-month conflict could be moving toward a negotiated settlement rather than a broader regional war.
Analysts caution that significant obstacles remain, including disputes over sanctions relief, frozen Iranian assets, nuclear restrictions, and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Until both governments publicly confirm the same framework, uncertainty is likely to continue.