Trump calls off military strikes on Iran hours after threatening to escalate

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he had called off new military strikes against Iran, a decision he stated was made because discussions with the Islamic Republic had reached the highest levels of Iranian leadership and received approval. This development occurred just hours after Trump had threatened a significant escalation, including seizing control of Iran's oil industry. The president's announcement followed a period of intense back-and-forth attacks between the U.S. and Iran that had heightened regional tensions and brought the Middle East closer to a full-scale conflict. Trump indicated that progress had been made in talks aimed at extending a fragile ceasefire, stating that "discussions and final points" had been approved by the United States, Israel, and other regional allies, though he provided no specific details. This instance mirrors previous occasions in recent weeks where Trump claimed a deal was imminent without a resolution. The president's threats on Thursday were a manifestation of his frustration with stalled negotiations to end the war, having previously warned Tehran it would "pay the price" for delays. Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, cautioned that "wrong strategies and impulsive decisions" could destabilize energy markets and lead to a prolonged, inescapable conflict. While recent strikes have increased tensions, they have been less severe than those in the war's initial weeks, and negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are reportedly continuing.