Iran Mocks Trump for Cancelling Military Strike, Claims US Backed Down

Hours after US President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of a planned military strike against Iran, Iranian figures responded with derision. Mohammad Marandi, a former advisor to the Iranian negotiation team in talks with the US, dismissed Trump's claims as "fake news" and accused him of retreating. Trump had stated that the US was prepared to launch a large-scale attack but chose to halt it following appeals from Iran and other Middle Eastern countries seeking to give diplomacy another chance. Trump emphasized that US forces were ready to act with unprecedented force, but the strike was called off to allow progress toward a new agreement, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz and measures to end Iran's nuclear threat.

In contrast, Tehran rejects the American narrative, with Marandi portraying the situation as Trump backing down rather than Iran conceding. No official response from the Iranian government or Foreign Ministry has been issued yet, but Marandi's remarks align with Iran's stance of framing Washington as the party that abandoned military action. Meanwhile, negotiations continue amid ongoing tensions, with the future agreement and potential military threats remaining central issues between the two countries.