United States President Donald Trump has announced that fresh negotiations with Iran are set to begin on Monday after he called off what he described as a planned “massive” military strike against the Islamic Republic, raising renewed hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in the months-long conflict.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said the United States had been fully prepared to launch what he claimed would have been “the biggest attack since World War II,” but decided to suspend the operation after appeals from regional allies and indications that a deal with Tehran was within reach.

“We’re talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” Trump said, adding that he was prepared to resume military action if diplomacy failed. “We’ll just see how it is. We’re ready to go anytime we want. I’m not looking to kill people.”

Earlier, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that Iran, along with key US allies in the Middle East, had urged Washington to delay military action because the framework for an agreement had been reached.

According to the US president, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, encouraged him to give diplomacy another chance. Trump said discussions were progressing on both the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme.

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Despite Trump’s optimism, Iran quickly disputed parts of his account. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said there were no plans to host a US delegation or send Iranian officials to Washington, stressing that previous negotiations had been conducted through mediators rather than through direct talks.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency also dismissed Trump’s assertion that Tehran had requested a delay in military action, describing the claim as “nothing but a new lie.”

However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations being mediated by Oman over the future of the Strait of Hormuz were advancing and nearing completion, according to Iranian state media.

Trump did not disclose where Monday’s talks would take place or who would participate.

The announcement immediately eased concerns in global energy markets. Oil prices fell sharply during Monday trading in Asia, with Brent crude dropping about 4.5 per cent to $83.98 per barrel, while US benchmark crude declined 4.6 per cent to $80.74.

Oil markets have remained volatile since fighting between the United States and Iran escalated on February 28, with traders closely monitoring the security of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.

Trump has repeatedly expressed confidence that a negotiated settlement is close, although previous diplomatic efforts have been followed by renewed exchanges of military strikes.

Just days earlier, the president warned that the US military was “locked and loaded” and ready to unleash overwhelming force against Iran. Before that, in April, he cautioned that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Tehran refused to engage in peace negotiations.

Those earlier warnings led to unprecedented face-to-face talks in Pakistan, reportedly led by Vice President JD Vance, but the discussions ultimately failed to produce an agreement.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials maintained that the country remained on high alert. Acting Defence Minister Majid Ibn al-Reza said Tehran regarded every military threat from its adversaries as genuine, even when intended as psychological pressure.

“We will neither be caught off guard nor remain passive,” he said.

The Trump administration has continued to defend its handling of the conflict despite opinion polls indicating growing public concern over the war and its economic impact, including among many Republican voters ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Whether Monday’s negotiations can produce a lasting agreement remains uncertain, but Trump’s decision to halt military action marks the latest attempt to resolve one of the Middle East’s most dangerous confrontations through diplomacy.

(BBC News)