Trump calls Iran talks last chance, pauses massive US strikes

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that planned talks with Tehran are the "last chance" for Iran to reach an agreement and avoid a fresh escalation in American strikes. He said negotiations are expected to begin in the next day or two and should focus first on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and then on addressing US concerns over Iran's nuclear programme.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump also said he had held back from ordering a new round of major strikes after appeals from Gulf allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He said a plan had been ready for what he described as "the biggest attack since World War II" on Sunday, but that he chose to give diplomacy more time.

"The first phase is the opening of the straits. The second phase will be the denuclearisation," Trump said. "And that will take a little while." He later added, "This the last chance for them to sign a good document." Earlier in the day, he had criticised Iran on social media as being "unbelievably duplicitous" after Tehran said its meetings with Oman were focused only on setting up a temporary route for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil trade.