Trump Rules Out Attack on Iran for Now
US President Donald Trump has said the United States will not launch a military operation against Iran on Sunday, signalling a decision to hold off on an attack on Tehran for now.
Responding to a question from reporters as he left the White House for a campaign event in Michigan on Sunday, Mr. Trump said that although he did not want to give a direct answer on whether the United States would attack Iran, there would be no attack.
Earlier on Sunday, Mr. Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran, hinting at the possibility of an attack later in the day. In an interview with Fox News, he said the only question was whether the United States would reach a deal with Iran or completely eliminate the country.
Mr. Trump also claimed that US forces had established full control over the Persian Gulf. He said the Strait of Hormuz was now under US control and that Iran was getting nothing from it.
On Saturday (October 24), Mr. Trump had suggested that Washington could launch another military operation against Iran or reach an agreement with Tehran. However, he expressed doubts about whether Iran would honour any potential commitments.
The United States launched a major military offensive against Iran jointly with Israel on February 28. A brief ceasefire between the two sides took effect in June but ultimately failed to hold. Mr. Trump’s announcement that there would be no attack on Iran comes ahead of the US midterm elections scheduled for early November.
