ALWAGHT- The US president blamed regional Arab nations for delaying pre-planned strikes on Iran, but American media reports — citing sources from those very countries — revealed they had no knowledge of any impending attack.
US President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that he postponed a planned military strike against Iran at the request of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, citing ongoing serious negotiations. However, following Trump's latest retreat, media reports emerged questioning the real motives behind his decision.
The Wall Street Journal quoted Arab diplomatic sources saying these regional countries were "completely unaware of any plan for an imminent attack on Iran." Meanwhile, The New York Times cited Pentagon sources revealing that the real reason for Trump's backpedal was Iran's high state of readiness to counter aggression, including Iranian commanders' ability to analyze US flight patterns and defend against predictable American tactics.
International analysts view Trump's reliance on such pretexts as a strategic sign of Iran's successful deterrence. West Asian affairs expert Danny Citrinowicz noted that Trump's retreat under the guise of "regional countries' requests" reflects a stark realization among Persian Gulf states that neither their own capabilities nor US military power can fully neutralize Iran's defensive response.
