President Donald Trump said Sunday that he had halted a planned military operation against Iran after several Gulf allies urged him to pause and pursue diplomatic talks instead, believing a comprehensive agreement was possible.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from New Jersey to Joint Base Andrews, Trump characterized the canceled operation as exceptionally large in scope and severely damaging to Iran.
"I was asked to by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, by Qatar, and by Iran to hold off strikes," Trump said. "It would have been a massive attack." He added, "When the allies asked to call it off, you gotta say, Well, let's see."
Trump indicated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had personally encouraged diplomacy over military action. "I asked the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, 'What would you rather have us do?'" Trump said. "He said, 'We would prefer a deal rather than an attack.'"
According to the president, Gulf leaders believe negotiations could yield a broader agreement addressing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program. "Allies think there is a deal," Trump said. "There is a deal on Hormuz, and it will be a deal on the nuclear."
Trump stated his administration would allow diplomacy to proceed before determining whether military action might later be necessary. "We are just going to see whether or not we can make a deal," He said. When asked about any deadline for reaching an agreement, Trump declined to specify one, saying, "We will see. I am not looking to kill people."
The president acknowledged differing views within his administration regarding the appropriate response to Iran, with some favoring immediate military action and others supporting continued negotiations.
Trump announced that direct talks between the United States and Iran were scheduled to resume Monday afternoon, expressing hope that negotiations could avert another military confrontation. "We are talking to them. It begins tomorrow afternoon," Trump said. "It would save a lot of lives."