US President Donald Trump has suspended military strikes on Iran, claiming the framework of a potential agreement has been reached. However, questions remain over whether the proposed deal has gained sufficient backing to move forward.
US President Donald Trump posted online that to avoid a large military attack, Iran must open the Strait of Hormuz and put aside its nuclear programme [Aaron Schwartz/AFP
Published On 2 Aug 20262 Aug 2026
United States President Donald Trump says the US and Israel have agreed to halt new attacks on Iran, provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is reached “rapidly”.
The region has been on edge, fearing that the fighting could escalate once again after Washington and Tehran traded threats of renewed heavy attacks, including against energy infrastructure.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform early on Sunday in Iran and late on Saturday in the US that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries asked him to hold off on the attacks because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to”. Tehran has not confirmed Trump’s statement.
Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway critical to global energy supplies, remains shut, and shipping is disrupted as well in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
Here is all you need to know about where the war stands on its 156th day:
Trump leads a cabinet meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland on July 31, 2026 [Aaron Schwartz/AFP]
Why has Trump halted attacks?
Trump earlier said in his post that the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran” but Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries asked him to hold off on new attacks.
“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.
He said the deal “would 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,” he wrote in the post.
Trump and the White House did not offer any further details on what the deal would entail and who is mediating it.
Meanwhile, the US news website Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) spoke with Trump on Saturday and expressed concern over his plans for large new attacks against Iran.
MBS reportedly urged Trump to de-escalate and refrain from launching the attacks.
