Key Facts

• US President Donald Trump had planned to launch military strikes against Iran on Thursday night, but he ultimately called off the attacks after citing progress in negotiations with the Iranian government, according to a statement released by the White House. The planned strikes were intended to respond to the downing of a US drone by Iranian forces in the Gulf of Oman on June 20, which had been a major point of contention between the two nations. Trump's decision to cancel the strikes was seen as a significant development in the escalating tensions between the US and Iran.
• Trump's statement cited progress in negotiations with Tehran as the reason for canceling the strikes, but he did not provide further details on the nature of the negotiations or the specific concessions that had been made by the Iranian government. The cancellation of the strikes was seen as a major victory for Iran, which had been seeking to avoid a direct confrontation with the US. The move was also seen as a potentially significant shift in US policy towards Iran, which had been under pressure from hardline hawks in the administration to take a more aggressive stance against the Iranian government.
• The cancellation of the strikes was widely welcomed by lawmakers in Congress, who had been critical of Trump's decision to launch military action against Iran without first seeking approval from Congress. The move was also seen as a major relief for the global economy, which had been buffeted by the escalating tensions between the US and Iran. The cancellation of the strikes marked a significant de-escalation in the conflict, but the underlying tensions between the two nations remained high.
• The planned strikes had been intended to target Iranian military sites, including a rocket factory and a command center, according to US officials. The strikes were seen as a major escalation in the conflict, and had been widely anticipated by analysts and lawmakers in Washington. The cancellation of the strikes marked a significant shift in US policy towards Iran, which had been under pressure from hardline hawks in the administration to take a more aggressive stance against the Iranian government.
• The Iranian government had been seeking to avoid a direct confrontation with the US, and had been engaged in a series of diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis. The cancellation of the strikes was seen as a major victory for Iran, which had been seeking to avoid a direct confrontation with the US. The move was also seen as a potentially significant shift in US policy towards Iran, which had been under pressure from hardline hawks in the administration to take a more aggressive stance against the Iranian government.