Trump halts Iran attacks and says new talks are on to open Hormuz

President Donald Trump has halted US attacks on Iran and agreed to participate in new talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire, according to an announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social. The goal of these talks is to achieve the "total opening" of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat. This development follows the collapse of a peace agreement in June and weeks of conflict, including near-daily Iranian strikes on several Gulf countries and attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Houthi rebels supported by Iran.

Prior to this announcement, there were reports that the US was planning intense strikes on Iran this weekend, prompting embassies to issue warnings to Americans in the region about the potential for evacuation. Trump stated that the US was "locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II."

However, he also emphasized the willingness to cease hostilities based on Iran's agreement to a set of conditions, including the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait and an end to Iran's nuclear program. In a separate interview with Fox News, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that the ongoing conflict since June had made Iran more open to negotiations.

He noted that the US now approaches Iran from a position of strength, as opposed to the weaker stance they held before. Despite Iran's continued possession of missiles and drones, Rubio believed that the US had gained a significant advantage, which has led Iran to express eagerness to negotiate denuclearization and the reopening of the Hormuz Strait.