President Donald Trump disclosed Sunday that he halted what he described as an enormous planned military strike against Iran after several key Middle Eastern allies urged him to delay the operation and give diplomatic negotiations another opportunity, saying they believed a comprehensive agreement was within reach.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One during his return flight from Bedminster, New Jersey, to Joint Base Andrews, Trump said the operation he canceled would have been unprecedented in scale and devastating for the Islamic Republic.

“I was asked to by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, by Qatar, and by Iran to hold off strikes,” Trump said. “It would have been a massive attack.

“When the allies asked to call it off, you gotta say, Well, let’s see.”

Trump revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally encouraged him to pursue diplomacy rather than authorize military action.

“I asked the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, ‘What would you rather have us do?'” Trump said. “He said, ‘We would prefer a deal rather than an attack.'”

According to the president, leaders across the Gulf region believe negotiations are moving toward a broader agreement that would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz as well as addressing Iran’s nuclear program.

“Allies think there is a deal,” Trump said. “There is a deal on Hormuz, and it will be a deal on the nuclear.”

Trump emphasized that his administration is willing to give diplomacy a chance before deciding whether military force will ultimately be required.

“We are just going to see whether or not we can make a deal,” he said.

When asked whether Iran has been given a deadline to reach an agreement, Trump declined to provide one.

“We will see,” he said. “I am not looking to kill people.”

The president also acknowledged that opinions remain divided over the proper U.S. response toward Iran, with some urging immediate military action and others favoring continued negotiations.

“There is a group of people who would love me to do it — just do it — and there is another group of people that does not want me to do it,” he said.

Trump concluded by announcing that direct talks between the United States and Iran are scheduled to resume Monday afternoon, expressing optimism that renewed negotiations could prevent another military confrontation.

“We are talking to them. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” Trump said. “It would save a lot of lives.”

{Matzav.com}