Guardian Report:  Trump Steps Back from Attack After Saudi Concerns and Iran’s Warning

Darwin, 02 August : The skies over the Middle East are filled with the threat of war. On one side, Iran has issued strong warnings and a series of mysterious attacks have taken place in the Gulf region; on the other side, Saudi Arabia has expressed deep concerns.

Amid this tense and volatile situation, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he is temporarily stepping back from launching a major military action against Iran. The Guardian has attempted to analyze the reasons behind Trump’s change of decision after reaching the final stage of military preparations.

On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that if a quick agreement could be reached, the United States would refrain from launching any new military strikes against Iran for the time being. International media have interpreted this as a partial shift from his recent hardline position.

According to the report, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump over the phone on Saturday and expressed concerns about a possible U.S. attack. Citing a source from Axios, it was reported that MBS urged Trump to reduce tensions and requested that he avoid launching new strikes.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that Saudi Arabia feared that if the United States carried out major attacks on Iran’s energy facilities or critical infrastructure, Tehran could retaliate by targeting energy installations in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

The reports also stated that during the phone conversation, the Saudi Crown Prince sought details about Trump’s possible military actions. The White House confirmed that the two leaders had spoken by phone, but it did not comment on the content of the discussion.

At the same time, Iran warned that if the United States launched new attacks, Tehran could take severe retaliatory measures against neighboring countries. On the same day, Kuwait claimed that Iranian drones had entered its airspace. In addition, attacks on two ships near the Strait of Hormuz and off the coast of Oman have also come to light.

Because of these developments, The Guardian reported that Donald Trump was moving forward with full military preparations. However, the phone call from the Saudi Crown Prince and Iran’s warnings of retaliatory attacks are currently preventing him from taking a major step.

This does not mean that Trump has abandoned the possibility of military action against Iran. The threat of a large-scale attack on Tehran remains, as Washington continues to seek maximum pressure and influence over Iran.

Source: The Guardian