Live: Trump cancels US strikes on Iran after threatening 'very hard' attack

In the last five minutes, Donald Trump has taken to his Truth Social platform to post that he has “cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening”.

He said the decision has been taken “based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved”.

He says “discussions and final points” have been approved by countries including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others.

“The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized — Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly.”

It is not yet clear whether this represents a continuation of the ceasefire, a more comprehensive deal, a peace deal or something else at this stage.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has released another statement urging the US and Iran to return to respecting the ceasefire between the two countries.

Guterres earlier called on parties in Lebanon, namely Hezbollah and Israel, to cease fighting.

A UN spokesperson said Guterres was “deeply concerned” by escalating tensions across the Middle East, including strikes by the US and Iran.

“He urges the parties to return to the full implementation of the ceasefire and avoid any further deterioration, which, as he told the Security Council yesterday, could trigger a full resumption of the conflict, with unpredictable consequences for the region and the world, especially the most vulnerable countries,” the spokesperson said.

Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has said the US should expect a more severe response than before if it attacks Iran.

It follows Donald Trump threatening the US would take Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure.

“Considering recent US threats against Iran’s oil infrastructure, either oil and gas exports are for everyone or they will be available for no one,” the command said in a statement carried by state media.

It added that the war would become more widespread and extensive and cause insecurity in the region.

Reporting with Reuters

The European Commission vice president Kaja Kallas, who is also the bloc’s foreign affairs representative, says she’s spoken with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

She says a return to “full-scale war” would impose a “tremendous cost to the entire Middle East region” and urged both sides of the conflict to return to the negotiating table.

She says she has also spoken with Kuwait’s foreign minister, whose country has been frequently targeted by Iranian drone and missile attacks.

“The diplomatic route remains the best path out of this war,” she says on X.

“The resumed attacks on the Gulf countries and their critical infrastructure are unacceptable.”

Iran’s Red Crescent humanitarian aid agency says it has “mobilised” across the country, after Donald Trump‘s latest threats to continue carrying out strikes.

It cited “enemy threats” as the reason for its mobilisation.

The Red Crescent, like the Red Cross, is a volunteer-run organisation that provides first aid.

The speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, has taken to X in the last hour to warn of an “endless quagmire” and more turmoil on global energy markets.

Ghalibaf, who is also the chief negotiator for Iran at peace talks, does not name who he is referring to or trying to address, but one can reasonably assume it is Donald Trump.

“Wrong strategies and impulsive decisions will reset the entire board for the worse, explode energy infrastructure and markets and create an endless quagmire that you will be stuck in for years,” he writes.

“You will see a different Iran.”

 As the world waits to see what happens next, let’s cast our eyes back over what the US president has said in the past few hours.

He’s made several statements both on his Truth Social platform and on US cable news over the course of Thursday, that offer an insight into what his priorities and intentions may be.

Speaking on Fox News on Thursday morning, US time, Mr Trump said he wanted to take the vital Kharg Island, which hosts a major Iranian oil facility.

“My preference has always been to take Kharg Island,” Trump told the host of Fox and Friends.

“I don’t know that America has the stomach for it to be honest.

“I don’t want to have boots on the ground … But if I wanted to we could put a small group of soldiers and take over the place.”

Meanwhile, on his Truth Social platform he said the US would “be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT.”

He said the assault on Kharg Island could happen “in the not too distant future”.

Here is where we’re at as we launch a fresh blog for Friday, June 12:

• Donald Trump is once again threatening to hit Iran “very hard tonight”.
• The US president says he also wants to take Iran’s oil infrastructure hub, Kharg Island.
• The head of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee, Ebrahim Azizi, tells state media the US president would receive a stronger and more painful response if he made any “uncalculated” move.
• Meanwhile, three Iranian sources say indirect talks between the US and Iran have intensified in recent days despite the deteriorating situation.
• The UN is calling for the situation in Lebanon to be resolved as Israel and Hezbollah continue to clash in the country’s south.

Stay with us as we bring you the latest.