Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced that he has cancelled a planned large-scale military strike on Iran, claiming that the "parameters of a deal" have been agreed upon following diplomatic efforts involving Iran and several Middle Eastern nations. The announcement came late Saturday through his Truth Social platform, a day after reports suggested that the United States and Israel were preparing possible military action targeting Iran's energy infrastructure.

Trump said he decided to halt the planned operation after receiving requests from Iran and regional countries to delay any attack while negotiations continued. He stated that he agreed to suspend military action on the condition that the proposed agreement be finalised quickly. According to Trump, the deal would lead to the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and address concerns over Iran's nuclear programme.

Iran has not officially responded to Trump's statement. Earlier on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Saudi counterpart that any military attack by the United States or Israel would receive a "proportionate response." Meanwhile, US media outlet Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally urged Trump during a phone call to cancel the planned strikes and pursue diplomacy instead.

The latest development marks a significant shift after Trump had warned on Friday that the United States would strike Iran "very hard." Amid continuing regional tensions, the US Department of State has also issued security alerts for American citizens in 10 Middle Eastern countries, advising them to exercise increased caution and consider departing the region if necessary due to the evolving security situation.