President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States has agreed to hold off on further attacks on Iran while negotiators work quickly toward an agreed framework he described as the “perimeters of a deal.” According to Trump’s post on Truth Social, the understanding would require Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and to end what he called its nuclear threat. He said U.S. forces remained “locked and loaded” but that strikes were suspended “subject to being able to rapidly make a deal.”
Trump added that Israel, a U.S. partner in operations against Iran, was aligned with the pause. He urged officials to move swiftly to finalize terms.
The announcement came as the State Department issued new security guidance for Americans across the Middle East, urging heightened vigilance and advising U.S. citizens to consider leaving the region or be prepared to depart on short notice. The advisory warned of potential flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and other travel disruptions and was distributed through U.S. embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Tensions have escalated in recent days after a series of strikes between the U.S. and Iran. Trump had threatened additional strikes, saying the U.S. would “hit them very hard,” and U.S. forces carried out what officials described as a “heavy wave of strikes” earlier in the week. Iran has vowed to “punish” the U.S. for attacks. In turn, Iranian officials say U.S. rhetoric and threats amount to psychological warfare; Iran’s acting defense minister Majid Ibn al-Reza said such statements would prompt Tehran to increase readiness and strengthen deterrence.
Regional leaders also moved to de-escalate. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump by phone and, according to Saudi state media, stressed the need for dialogue and expressed concerns about plans for new strikes on Iran. Kuwait reported that its air defenses intercepted hostile drones attributed to Iran.
Not all U.S. lawmakers welcomed the announcement. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Meet the Press that he would be skeptical of trusting Iran’s assurances, noting the failure of a previous memorandum of understanding signed in June that had briefly eased hostilities.
The current conflict has persisted for months, entering its sixth month despite earlier presidential predictions that it would end quickly. A June memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran had produced a short lull in fighting, but in early July Trump declared that ceasefire “over,” and strikes resumed.
The broader consequences of the prolonged fighting have been felt worldwide: oil prices have risen and U.S. gasoline prices have increased amid continued instability in the region.
U.S. officials and allies appear to be weighing three broad options going forward — escalation, withdrawal, or maintaining the status quo — with public debate continuing over which path will best protect American interests while avoiding wider war.
For now, Washington says it will pause additional attacks while trying to secure a rapid deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and curb Iran’s nuclear threat. The State Department’s travel guidance and the diplomatic outreach around the pause underscore how fragile the situation remains and how quickly it could change.