The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced that he has suspended a plan to launch attacks on Iran following talks involving the leadership of Pakistan.
Last weekend, Trump warned Iran that it had to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key route through which about 20% of the world’s oil supplies pass by 2:00 a.m. Kigali time on Wednesday.
In a message posted Tuesday on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that if Iran failed to comply with the demand, the United States would carry out a major military strike.
However, just hours before the deadline, Trump reversed the decision, explaining that discussions with Pakistan’s leadership led to an agreement to temporarily halt the planned attack if Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping.
Trump stated that the decision followed conversations with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s army chief Asim Munir, who urged him to suspend the plan to destroy Iran.
He said that if the Islamic Republic of Iran immediately reopens the Strait of Hormuz fully and safely, the United States will pause any attack plans for two weeks.
UN Security Council fails to reach agreement
The announcement also comes as the United Nations Security Council failed to pass a resolution that would authorize the deployment of forces to protect ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Two permanent members of the council, China and Russia, used their veto power to block the resolution, arguing that it was mainly intended to increase pressure on Iran.
Although 11 of the 15 members of the Security Council supported the resolution discussed during a meeting in Bahrain, two countries Colombia and Pakistan abstained, preventing the measure from being adopted.
