Trump halts the threatened attack on Iran while the Strait of Hormuz deadlock holds

US President Donald Trump announced early on Sunday, 2 August 2026, on his social media platform that he was holding off the major attack he had previously threatened against Iran. He said the decision followed a request from Iran and several regional countries after the "perimeters of a deal" had been agreed, adding that the potential agreement would include the immediate, complete and total opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat.

Iran's acting Defence Minister, Brigadier General Majid Ebn-e-Reza, responded that Trump's comment was made "within the context of psychological operations and a war of calculations", saying Iran's armed forces treat every threat as real. The Fars news agency reported that by midday on Sunday, 2 August, numerous ships remained stuck in the northern corridor of the strait inside Iranian waters and could pass only with the permission of Iran's armed forces.

Before the announcement, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump by phone and stressed prioritising dialogue to reduce escalation, while Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday night. The June memorandum of understanding that had partially reopened the strait fell apart in less than a month.