Six times Trump called off strikes on Iran
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran before postponing or canceling planned strikes.
- His latest decision to call off strikes follows a pattern of linking military threats to diplomatic negotiations.
By: Rana Salahat
US President Donald Trump has again called off planned military strikes on Iran, continuing a pattern of threatening military action before delaying or canceling attacks in favor of diplomacy.
Trump announced Saturday that he had canceled planned strikes on Iran and later said US and Iranian officials would meet for talks. Tehran, however, denied that any discussions with Washington were scheduled.
The latest reversal is one of several during the ongoing US war with Iran.
Previous reversals
March 21-23: Trump warned the US would "hit and obliterate" Iranian power plants if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Before the deadline expired, he said the two sides had held "productive conversations" and postponed the strikes for five days.
April 7: Trump warned that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran refused to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Hours later, a two-week ceasefire between the two countries was announced.
April 21: On the eve of the ceasefire's expiration, Trump said he expected "to be bombing" if negotiations failed. Later that day, he extended the ceasefire instead.
May 17-18: Trump warned that "the Clock is Ticking" for Iran and said there would be "nothing left of them" without progress. The following day, he announced he would delay military action after requests from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
June 11: Trump declared the US military would strike Iran "VERY HARD TONIGHT," including targeting Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure. Hours later, he canceled the operation, saying the "final points" of an agreement had been approved.
August 1: Trump said the US was "locked and loaded" and prepared to attack Iran with unprecedented military force. Despite the warning, he announced he had canceled the operation "for the future benefit of the WORLD" and to allow time to reach a deal with Tehran.
The repeated shifts between military threats and diplomatic overtures have become a defining feature of the Trump administration's approach to Iran, with negotiations often following periods of heightened tensions.
