Updates with Trump's latest remarks
President Donald Trump on Thursday called off the threat of an attack on Iran he announced hours earlier, citing progress on a "great settlement" of the Iran war he said could be signed as early as this weekend.
That deal could be signed in Europe "soon, maybe this weekend", Trump said, who added that it was his understanding that Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei also approved of the deal. Iran has yet to confirm its support of the agreement, which Trump said was "subject to finalization of documents" over the next few days.
"The strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon — very soon — maybe over the weekend, in Europe," Trump said.
Trump has previously overstated progress in talks with Iran, incorrectly stating in April that Iran had agreed to "completely open" the strait of Hormuz during a ceasefire. This afternoon, Trump said the pending deal was a "very detailed memorandum of understanding" that is "a little conceptual" that has also been "agreed to by many other countries that have great influence over" Iran.
"We hope it's going to go relatively quickly," Trump said of further talks with Iran once a deal is signed. "The straits are going to open immediately upon signing, maybe it will be Saturday or Monday."
Earlier this afternoon, Trump said progress in negotiations led him to call off plans he announced this morning to launch a "VERY HARD" wave of strikes and bombing tonight against Tehran. Trump had threatened to take control of Iran's Kharg Island in the Mideast Gulf, along with other oil infrastructure.
Trump's now-canceled threat of a major military attack followed two days of heavy clashes between the US and Iranian armed forces. The US has pounded Iran's defensive and — according to Tehran — civilian infrastructure near the strait of Hormuz and across Iran. Iran's military responded with attacks on US bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. Both the US and Iranian navies have attacked commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman and the strait of Hormuz, respectively.
Control of navigation through the critical Mideast Gulf waterway appears to have been the cause of the latest flare up. Trump said on Wednesday that the US military was running a clandestine operation to unblock Hormuz and that over 100mn bl and hundreds of vessels traveled the strait under the US military umbrella.
Iran, which also claimed to be directing limited traffic through the strait, said on Thursday that the strait of Hormuz was "closed" following overnight US strikes on Iran.
