Diplomatic Scramble Helps Avert U.S. Strike on Iran, as Nuclear Talks Stall

A threatening post by President Donald Trump set off a frantic round of calls from Gulf and South Asian leaders that, according to Politico, helped stop a planned U.S. strike on Iran. Within hours, Trump heard from Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, who told him a preliminary framework for negotiations was already in place.

The report says Trump then canceled Pentagon strike plans and went public with optimism, posting that a formal deal could be signed as soon as this weekend. Later, speaking in the Oval Office, he said the United States had secured a “great settlement” to end the fighting. The White House is said to be cautiously hopeful that any agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and free frozen Iranian funds.

Tehran, however, struck a far more guarded tone. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on state media that Iran has not made final decisions on any deal and will not compromise on its “red lines.” Western diplomats also warned that the talks are complicated by uncertainty over who can actually sign for Iran, the political leadership or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is often seen as sabotaging such moves.

The emerging proposal is limited and does not yet address Iran’s nuclear program. According to the report, it focuses first on reopening Hormuz for free maritime passage and ending the American blockade of that critical waterway. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress that nuclear talks would come later.

The sides are also discussing access to more than $16 billion in frozen Iranian assets, mostly held in Qatar, which were frozen by the United States in 2023 after the Gaza war began. Any use of that money would be tightly limited to humanitarian purchases. Politico said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is watching closely and could complicate the deal; he spoke at length with Trump on Thursday, and his office said he pressed Israel’s demands for any final accord, including removal of all enriched uranium from Iran, dismantling enrichment infrastructure, strict limits on ballistic missiles, and a complete halt to Iranian funding for terror groups and regional proxies.