Kathmandu— President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States had been ready to carry out a large-scale strike against Iran before diplomatic intervention prompted a pause. Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump said multiple countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar, called for negotiations instead of military action.

Diplomatic Pressure Halts Military Action

Trump claimed that Iran had requested ongoing talks with American officials despite previously denying such discussions. 'We were going to hit them very hard yesterday,' Trump said, adding that the calls from Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar influenced his decision to pause military operations in favor of diplomacy.

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions

The US President emphasized that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains Washington’s primary objective. 'This is not something that if it doesn't happen, this is a last chance for them to sign a good document,' Trump said, referring to the ongoing negotiations aimed at de-nuclearizing Iran.

Iran's Rejection of Talks

In contrast, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected reports of direct or indirect negotiations with the United States. 'Tehran is not engaged in bilateral talks with Washington,' he said, clarifying that any understanding between Iran and Oman regarding maritime traffic routes through the Strait of Hormuz was purely technical.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.