Trump climbs down on Iran strikes after Saudi alarm and threats from Tehran

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>President claims delay is ‘subject to being able to rapidly make a deal’ as intervention by Saudi crown prince is revealed and Iran warns neighbours</p><p>Donald Trump said on Saturday night that the US would hold off on any new strikes on Iran provided a deal to end <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-israel-war-on-iran">the months-long conflict</a> is quickly reached – marking the president’s latest climbdown from extravagant threats to hit the Tehran regime hard.</p><p>The Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump on Saturday to express concerns about his strike plans, it was reported. Trump’s reversal also came after Iran threatened to retaliate decisively against its neighbours in the event of US strikes, while Kuwait reported being hit by Iranian drones on Saturday and two ships were attacked off Oman in the strait of Hormuz.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/02/trump-climbs-down-on-iran-strikes-after-saudi-alarm-and-threats-from-tehran">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.