Trump Claims Iran Sought Talks to Avoid Massive U.S. Attack

President Donald Trump announced in Las Vegas that the United States paused a military operation he described as the largest since World War II after Iranian officials requested talks. Trump stated that while he prefers a diplomatic deal to avoid killing people, the U.S. will not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

The current standoff follows a period of escalation, including U.S. strikes inside Iran last month and Iranian retaliatory attacks on U.S. military facilities in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Although the two nations signed a framework agreement on June 18, negotiations stalled over security guarantees and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump compared the current strategy to a previous approach used in Venezuela, asserting that the U.S. has weakened Iran through military action. He suggested an agreement could be reached within 48 hours and predicted that oil and gasoline prices would drop sharply once the situation is resolved. During his remarks, Trump also praised U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for its operations against the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.