President Trump holds off on massive Iranian strike to prioritize diplomacy as Tehran denies active negotiations
President Trump held off a planned massive strike on Iran over the weekend, opting to give diplomacy another chance after being urged by Gulf allies and Tehran. The administration announced that the strike would have been the largest since World War II, but President Trump chose to pause the military action to pursue a deal regarding the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear capabilities. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified on Monday that Tehran is not currently in direct negotiations with the United States. Instead, Iran is working with Oman to establish a temporary safe passage route through the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump described the Iranian leadership as "unbelievably duplicitous" for claiming they are not in talks while the U.S. is actively seeking a solution. Despite the diplomatic efforts, the war has entered its sixth month, with 18 American service members killed and over 50,000 troops deployed. Oil prices fell as the market reacted positively to the possibility of a deal.