Trump Halts Iran Attack for Talks, Tehran Warns Against 'Strategic Mistakes'

Trump Pauses Military Action as Iran Submits New Peace Proposal

U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Monday, May 18, 2026, that he had suspended a scheduled military attack against Iran. The decision was made to allow for continued negotiations aimed at reaching a deal to end the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. This development follows Tehran’s submission of a new peace proposal to Washington.

In a public statement, President Trump confirmed instructing the U.S. military to “NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow.” However, he also issued a stern warning, stating that forces were on standby for a “full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached.” Reuters could not independently confirm any prior announcement of such an attack or the preparations made for strikes that would mark a significant escalation of the conflict ignited by Trump in late February.

Under immense pressure to secure an agreement that would re-establish access to the critical Strait of Hormuz, Trump has repeatedly expressed optimism about an impending deal while simultaneously threatening severe military action if Tehran fails to comply.

President Trump indicated that leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates had requested the pause, believing that “a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond.” Specific details of this discussion were not disclosed.

Diplomatic Channels Active as Iran Confirms Proposal

The President's announcement followed confirmation from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, who stated that Tehran's perspectives had been “conveyed to the American side through Pakistan,” without elaborating further. A Pakistani source corroborated Islamabad's role in transmitting the latest proposal to Washington. Pakistan has been a key intermediary, facilitating messages between the two sides since hosting the only round of peace talks last month. However, the Pakistani source noted the difficulty in making progress, citing that the parties “keep changing their goalposts” and emphasizing that “We don't have much time.”

Iran's Defiant Stance and Proposal Details

Despite the diplomatic overtures, Iran maintained a defiant posture through state media following Trump's statement. Tehran issued warnings to the U.S. and its allies against committing any further “strategic mistakes or miscalculations” in attacking Iran, asserting that the Iranian armed forces were “more prepared and stronger than in the past.” The top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya, through its commander Ali Abdollahi, stated that Iran's armed forces were “ready to pull the trigger” in response to any renewed U.S. aggression, promising a quick, decisive, powerful, and extensive retaliation.

A senior Iranian source detailed the new peace proposal, which largely mirrors Iran's previous offer, one that Trump had dismissed as “garbage” just last week. The core of the proposal focuses on achieving an immediate end to the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz – a vital global oil shipping lane that Iran has effectively blockaded – and lifting maritime sanctions. Contentious issues pertaining to Iran's nuclear program and uranium enrichment would be deferred to subsequent rounds of negotiations.

Apparent Softening from Washington, but Scepticism Remains

Significantly, the senior Iranian source indicated an apparent softening in Washington's position. Reportedly, the United States agreed to release a quarter of Iran’s frozen funds, amounting to tens of billions of dollars, held in foreign banks. Iran, however, seeks the release of all its assets. The source also claimed Washington displayed greater flexibility regarding Iran's continuation of some peaceful nuclear activities under the International Atomic Energy Agency's supervision. The U.S. has not officially confirmed these agreements.

Separately, Iran's Tasnim news agency cited an anonymous source suggesting that the U.S. had agreed to waive oil sanctions on Iran during the negotiation period. Iranian officials offered no immediate comment on this report, which a U.S. official, speaking anonymously, swiftly dismissed as false. A fragile ceasefire currently holds after six weeks of war that began with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. However, tensions persist with drone attacks originating from Iraq targeting Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, allegedly by Iran or its allies. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry condemned a drone attack on Sunday, which Saudi Arabia intercepted after the drones entered from Iraqi airspace.