US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) announced that he had decided to call off ordering American forces to carry out new strikes against Iran following requests from Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran. However, Tehran denied that it asked Trump not to strike.
His remarks came addressing reporters on Air Force One as he flew back to the capital after spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. The US President said, “I’m not looking to kill people because people die… we don’t want that… I asked Saudi Arabia’s king and crown prince. I said, would you rather have us do this or not? They said, we would much prefer a deal… Because you don’t know where these attacks lead. I mean, they will be flooded with people pouring into their country, and it will be a disaster. A lot of bad things can happen.”
In the same address he also noted that new negotiations with Tehran will commence on Monday (local time) after he decided to call off strikes on the Islamic Republic to pursue a deal to end the war, which is entering its sixth month.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says negotiations between Tehran and Oman on the management of the Strait of Hormuz are in their “final stages”.
According to sources, Pakistani interior minister and the Qataris are going to be sending emissaries to Iran to resume truce conversations. Reports further revealed, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi held back-to-back telephone consultations with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister and Pakistan’s army chief amid renewed diplomatic.
Meanwhile, a shipping data firm, says 22 Chinese-linked vessels have transited Bab al-Mandeb since July 20, despite the Houthi blockade on Saudi Arabia.