After attacking Iran for eleven consecutive nights in July, and planning strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure, Donald Trump has announced that the United States will now refrain from attacking because of the prospect of an agreement.

In a post on Truth Social during the night to Sunday Norwegian time, the US President once again presented Iran with a carrot-and-stick approach:

The United States is fully prepared and ready to attack the Islamic Republic of Iran with a level of military terror, strength and power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran and other countries in the Middle East to refrain from any attack, as the broad outlines of an agreement have been reached. This will include the immediate, complete and total OPENING OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear weapons threat. Based on this request, and for the future good of the WORLD, as well as to ensure the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, I have agreed to cancel the attack, provided that we can quickly conclude an AGREEMENT. Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and GET IT DONE.

Over the course of eleven consecutive nights in July, the United States bombed a number of military targets in Iran, but Trump continues to exercise restraint in striking infrastructure that would weaken the country’s civilian and economic foundations, in the hope of leaving behind a functioning Iran once the strategic and political objectives have been achieved.

That such plans exist as part of Trump’s strategy of “speak softly and carry a big stick” is unsurprising and was recently confirmed through leaks to CBS.

The Telegraph recently revealed that the United States and Israel are also planning a land blockade of Iran, including the closure of border crossings, in order to increase the economic pressure on the mullah regime.