President Donald Trump said he backed away from a plan to escalate military operations against Iran to allow for negotiations. Throughout the war, Trump has made threats to strike civilian targets in Iran before backing down. 

“The U.S.A. is 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,” the President wrote on Truth Social Saturday. “Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

The statement followed multiple outlets reporting that Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were plotting an attack on Iranian energy infrastructure. 

Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that Trump and Netanyahu plotted the attack during a White House meeting on Wednesday. Trump called off the attack less than 24 hours before it was intended to begin. The President decided against the strikes after pressure from US allies in the Middle East. 

In the post, Trump asserted the deal would involve reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program. Before the US and Israel started the war against Iran, the Strait was open, and Iran offered to place additional restrictions on its nuclear program. 

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that the Strait of Hormuz will “never return to the pre-war situation.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi added that negotiations with Oman to establish new protocols through the Strait are nearly finalized. 

Trump and Netanyahu opted for war rather than agreeing to a nuclear agreement with Iran. During the war, Tehran took control over the Strait of Hormuz and is demanding that any end to the conflict recognize Tehran’s control over the waterway.