Trump reveals why he halted planned Iran strike: 'I'm not looking to kill people'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Sunday, August 2, said a peace agreement with Iran is "imminent" and announced that a new round of negotiations will begin soon, after saying he called off what he described as a planned large-scale military strike against Tehran.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he opted to give diplomacy another chance rather than proceed with military action, adding that Saudi Arabia and other US allies in the Middle East had urged him to delay an attack because they believed an agreement could still be reached. His remarks came a day after he said the "perimeters" of a deal had been agreed.

Trump says diplomacy remains his preferred option as talks resume

When asked whether Iran faced a deadline to reach an agreement on board Air Force One on Sunday, Trump declined to set one, saying the US remained prepared to act if necessary but preferred a negotiated outcome. "We're ready to go anytime we want. Would I rather make a deal? I'm not looking to kill people. Because people die, a lot of people die, and we don't want that," he said.

The president shared Iran had specifically requested negotiations continue and added that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, along with other regional partners, encouraged him to pursue diplomacy instead of military action.

"I asked Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince. I said, what would you rather do? Would you rather have us do this or not? They said, we would much prefer a deal as opposed to an attack. Because you don't know where these attacks lead," Trump said. 

He added that discussions will begin on Monday and would focus on two issues he has repeatedly identified as priorities: ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains fully open to global shipping and securing guarantees that Iran will not obtain a nuclear weapon.

Trump also said he had been prepared to authorize what he described as "the biggest attack since World War II" over the weekend but called it off to allow negotiations to proceed. "So we're just going to see whether or not we can make a deal with the denuclearization." 

Trump's latest remarks contrast with recent military warnings

Trump's latest remarks follow several days of escalating rhetoric over Iran. During a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, the 80-year-old said the US was prepared to intensify military operations, telling reporters, "We will be hitting them very hard," and predicting Iran would eventually conclude, "We just can't take it anymore."

Trump wrote on Saturday on Truth Social that the broad "perimeters" of a deal had been agreed to and that he had been asked by Iran and several US allies in the region to delay military action.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that negotiations with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz were progressing toward finalization, according to Iranian state media. Trump did not identify where Monday's talks would take place or who would participate but said his administration remained hopeful diplomacy could produce a lasting agreement.