Trump halts attack on Iran after Saudi-Qatar intervention warning of disastrous consequences

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): Intense diplomatic efforts by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman have succeeded in easing tensions between the United States and Iran. Due to the intervention of these Gulf nations, US President Donald Trump has, for now, postponed a possible military strike on Iran. Gulf officials said strong last-minute pressure was applied on the Trump administration to give Iran an opportunity to demonstrate its intentions and avoid an escalation.

The situation escalated after the United States warned of military action in response to Iran’s crackdown on protesters. This warning raised fears of a direct conflict between the two countries, creating serious concerns across the Middle East.

A senior Saudi official told AFP that significant efforts were made to convince Washington that an attack on Iran would trigger “disastrous consequences” across the region. Officials described the intense diplomatic engagement as a “sleepless night spent defusing a bomb.” Saudi Arabia emphasized that the intervention was crucial to prevent uncontrolled regional instability and potential retaliatory strikes.

Gulf countries not only engaged in discussions with Washington but also sent a firm message to Iran, warning that any attack on US bases located in the Gulf would permanently damage Tehran’s relations with regional nations.

At the peak of tensions, security was significantly tightened at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military base in the Middle East. Iran had threatened retaliation against American bases and naval assets in the Gulf if the US launched an attack. In response, security levels at the base were raised, and some personnel were instructed to temporarily relocate.

Following the success of diplomatic talks, the situation began to normalize by Wednesday evening. According to diplomatic sources, military aircraft and personnel have started returning to their previous positions, and the security alert level has been lowered.

Meanwhile, President Trump’s stance softened after days of strong warnings. In a statement, he said he had received firm assurances from “very important sources on the other side” that Iran would not impose death penalties on protesters. After receiving these assurances and facing pressure from Gulf allies, the US has decided to keep the military option on hold for now.

Saudi officials noted that diplomatic engagement is still ongoing to strengthen trust and ensure that such a crisis does not arise again in the future.