Why Did Trump Halt Iran Strike Plan? Asim Munir, Gulf Leaders Scrambled In Bid To Stop It

Last Updated:June 12, 2026, 20:49 IST

Leaders from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan contacted Trump shortly after he posted that he would hit Iran "very hardly tonight".

US President Donald Trump reportedly halted the planned military strike on Iran after urgent calls from Gulf and South Asian leaders, who warned that a preliminary peace framework was already within reach, according to a report by Politico.

The report, published on Friday, said leaders from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan contacted Trump shortly after he posted that he would hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT".

The intervention by the leaders came in as a last-ditch diplomatic effort to stop him from further escalation.

According to Politico, the calls were made by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Pakistan’s defence chief Asim Munir. Two US administration officials and a diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the leaders urged Trump to hold off on military action, arguing that a preliminary agreement was already in place that could open the door to detailed negotiations.

The officials said the leaders assured Trump that diplomatic progress between Washington and Tehran was more advanced than publicly acknowledged. Their message, according to the report, was that military escalation could jeopardise a potential breakthrough.

Following the calls, Trump reportedly stepped back from immediate strike plans. An administration official told Politico that the assurances helped convince the US President that a deal framework was emerging and worth pursuing instead of military escalation.

Trump Deal Claim After Strike Pause

Shortly after the reversal, Trump announced a “great settlement" with Iran, saying a signing could take place in Europe as soon as this weekend. He suggested the agreement would see Iran commit to never acquiring nuclear weapons and hinted that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen once the deal is finalised.

“We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran," Trump said in the Oval Office, adding that the arrangement was “subject to finalisation of documents" and would likely be signed in the coming days.

However, there was no confirmation from Tehran, and Iranian officials later said no final agreement had been reached.

Iranian Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran “had not reached a final conclusion on the agreement", noting that while much of the text had been completed, new US demands had complicated the process.

(With inputs from agencies)

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