President Donald Trump said he is holding off on a planned military strike against Iran that had been scheduled for Tuesday, citing ongoing serious negotiations. In a social media post, he stated that he had instructed the United States military to be prepared for a full, large scale assault if an acceptable deal is not reached.

Trump indicated that the decision to delay the strike came at the request of Middle Eastern allies, including leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He did not provide details about the proposed attack but emphasized that military action could proceed at a moment's notice.

The announcement follows weeks of warnings from Trump that a fragile ceasefire reached in mid April could collapse if Iran failed to reach an agreement. He has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran while also engaging in discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding the conflict.