Washington, May 19: U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that a planned military strike on Iran has been temporarily postponed to allow more time for diplomatic negotiations.

According to Mr. Trump, leaders of Gulf nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, had urged the United States to continue diplomatic engagement in order to prevent further escalation in the region.

In a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr. Trump said the proposed military action scheduled for Tuesday had been deferred. He, however, warned that the United States remained prepared for a “full-scale” response if negotiations failed to produce a satisfactory agreement.

The U.S. President stated that the American military had been instructed to remain prepared for action at any time.

Media reports in the United States said a fresh peace proposal from Iran, along with mediation efforts by Pakistan, also contributed to the decision to delay the strike.

Discussions between Washington and Tehran are currently understood to be focused on nuclear negotiations, security in the Strait of Hormuz and possible easing of sanctions. However, the United States has continued to maintain a firm position against Iran developing nuclear weapons.