Trump Orders Pause On Planned Strikes. US Allies Float A Narrow Peace Passage To Iran

President Donald Trump has paused the planned large-scale strikes on Iran, saying the Middle East allies of the US have reached the parameters of a deal to end the deadlock.

In a Truth Social post on Saturday night, Trump reiterated that the US "is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II."

The US President then added that, "despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to."

Trump claimed that the deal he referred to included "the complete and total opening of the Hormuz Strait."

The contentious waterway has been a flashpoint between the US and Iran after the war started, with Tehran enforcing a closure of the chokepoint. A fifth of the world's energy supplies passed through the route before the war, sending oil prices rallying to as high as $120 a barrel during the conflict that is entering the sixth month.

The US has also enforced a naval blockade of Iran, which is controlling the Strait.

"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 said.

The US President said Israel has agreed to the latest proposal for peace, worked out by the American allies in the Middle East. Iran is yet to comment on Trump's reported statement.

Trump's announcement came just a day after he hinted that the US forces were close to resuming heavy military strikes to force Tehran to come to the negotiating table.

On Saturday, reports indicated an envoy of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman conveyed to Trump that a de-escalation was necessary.

The Saudi kingdom's de facto leader also had a telephonic conversation with Trump in which he flagged concerns about a potential escalation of conflict with Iran and its ramifications.

News outlet Axios, which reported about the conversation between Mohammed bin Salman and Trump, said in a report that Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Pakistan were also involved in pressing the US for a pause.

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also warned the US and Israel that any escalation would initiate a similar response from Iran.

"Any hostile action by the U.S. or Israel — or participation or cooperation by regional countries in such actions — would be met with a decisive and proportionate response from Iran's powerful armed forces," Araghchi conveyed to Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Bin Abdullah Al Saud, according to a post on Araghchi's Telegram channel.

The Saudi ruler raised the concern that if the US targets again, Tehran could retaliate by carrying out attacks on its energy infrastructure and those of other Gulf countries.

The continued US military action in the region is also reportedly causing concerns for Trump's Republican Party, as the conflict looms over the political discourse of the US midterm elections in November.