Washington Calls Off Strikes as Iran Signals Nuclear Talks

Washington has called off planned military strikes against Iran after American officials said Tehran signaled a willingness to engage in high-level nuclear negotiations, easing what had appeared to be an imminent escalation in the Persian Gulf.

The reversal, confirmed by three senior administration officials speaking on condition of anonymity, came just hours after the Pentagon had positioned naval assets in the Gulf and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin briefed Congressional leaders on what officials described as a “narrow window” for military action to disrupt Iran’s uranium enrichment program.

Diplomatic Channel Opens

The White House said in a statement that President Trump authorized direct talks with Tehran after intermediaries — including officials from Oman and Switzerland — confirmed Iran’s supreme leader had approved negotiations on the country’s nuclear program. The naval blockade imposed on Iranian oil exports following last month’s International Atomic Energy Agency report finding uranium enriched to 84 percent purity remains in place, the statement said.

“The use of force has not been taken off the table, but the President has chosen to give diplomacy a chance,” a senior official said. “Iran must demonstrate through actions, not words, that its program is peaceful.”

Gulf Tensions Remain High

The announcement follows a dramatic 72 hours in the Gulf, during which the U.S. Navy disabled a third commercial vessel — the Madhurya, carrying 18 Indian nationals — for allegedly violating the blockade. No injuries were reported, and the crew was transferred to a nearby cargo ship, the Pentagon said.

The previous two vessels targeted under the blockade were seized and escorted to port, with their crews held for several days before release. The escalation drew sharp criticism from New Delhi, which summoned the U.S. ambassador to protest the boarding of Indian-flagged ships.

IAEA Findings Stoked Fears

The urgency behind the Pentagon’s military positioning was driven by an IAEA report submitted to the UN Security Council last week, which documented particles at 84 percent purity — just shy of weapons-grade — at the Fordow facility. Iran insists its program is entirely peaceful, a claim the U.S., European Union, and Israel have rejected as unverifiable.

European mediators welcomed the diplomatic shift but warned that time is limited. “Talks must produce verifiable results within weeks, not months,” said an EU spokesperson. Israel, which had publicly urged the U.S. to strike, expressed “deep reservations” about the pause in military action.