President Donald Trump said that the United States and Israel had agreed to hold off on new strikes on Iran — provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is “rapidly” reached.

Fears had mounted that the fighting could escalate once again after Trump threatened to hit Iran “very hard” and was reportedly considering renewed heavy attacks, including against energy infrastructure.

Trump said the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” but added that Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on fresh strikes.

“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

The US president said the deal would have to include the “Immediate, Complete and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.”

“The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE.”

This comes after US embassies in capitals across the Middle East had warned their citizens on Saturday to beware of “unforeseen escalation” in the regional conflict and urged them to be ready to leave.

CBS News said that the United States and Israel were planning joint strikes, possibly throughout the weekend, with oil refineries and power plants among possible targets.

But Trump said he ultimately decided to hold off on his threat of new attacks after requests from Gulf countries.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman called Trump on Saturday to express concerns about his strike plans, Axios reported, citing unnamed US officials.

One source with knowledge of the call told Axios that the Saudi crown prince had “urged Trump to de-escalate and refrain from launching the strikes”.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the report.

Iran and the US resumed exchanges of fire last month after a days-long lull in fighting, although there were no reported strikes overnight Friday to Saturday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News earlier in the week that the US had “wiped out” much of Iran’s defenses, adding that Tehran was “now willing and in some cases seem eager to do a deal on denuclearization, to do a deal on the straits.” Still, he said Iran could “still do damage.”

Iran has effectively maintained control over navigation through Hormuz since the outbreak of the war on February 28, requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees before using the waterway.

Mediator Pakistan said on Thursday it was doing its “utmost” to bring Iran and the United States back to talks under a memorandum of understanding, aimed at halting their war, to which Islamabad is a signatory.

Iran’s military on Saturday accused the United States of “escalating tensions” in the Middle East and warned countries in the region against cooperating with Washington during the ongoing conflict.

The war has recently expanded with the opening of a new front in the Red Sea, where the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen announced a naval blockade of Saudi ports and later claimed responsibility for attacks on oil tankers and oil facilities across the kingdom. The Saudi-led coalition responded by announcing airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen.

The declared blockade threatens Saudi Arabia’s ability to export millions of barrels of crude oil daily, as it could deprive the kingdom of its access to the Red Sea, given the disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Amid concerns that the Houthis might seek to gain control of Bab al-Mandab, similar to Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, the rebels denied on Saturday any intention of imposing fees on ships transiting the waterway. (AFP/EIR)