Washington(The COW News Digital)US President Donald Trump has said that the decision not to carry out a military strike against Iran was made solely by him, rejecting suggestions that foreign leaders or allies influenced his choice. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump stressed that no one persuaded him to step back from military action.
During the media interaction, a journalist asked whether Arab or Israeli officials had convinced him to avoid an attack on Iran. In response, Trump said, “No one convinced me. I convinced myself,” underlining that the final decision reflected his own judgment rather than external pressure.
Trump linked his decision to recent developments inside Iran, claiming that a planned mass execution had been halted. He said that around 800 people were reportedly due to be executed, but no executions took place. According to Trump, this development had a significant impact on his thinking and contributed to his decision to refrain from military action.
The US president later reiterated his stance in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he thanked Iran for what he described as a change in behavior. Trump wrote that he appreciated the fact that individuals who were previously expected to face execution would not be put to death, and suggested that this decision by Iranian authorities was a positive signal.
Trump’s remarks came amid widespread media speculation about diplomatic efforts behind the scenes. A recent report by the New York Times claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked Trump to delay a potential US military strike on Iran. According to the report, Netanyahu held a phone conversation with Trump earlier in the week, during which concerns about regional escalation were discussed.
The report further noted that on the same day as the conversation, Trump publicly stated that he had received information from “extremely important sources on the other side,” indicating that killings of protesters in Iran had stopped and that death sentences were no longer being carried out.
Earlier, the British newspaper The Telegraph reported that Trump had reversed his decision to strike Iran at the last moment. The report suggested that diplomatic outreach by Gulf countries played a key role in easing tensions. According to the newspaper, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman held urgent talks with Washington and urged Trump to delay military action, arguing that Iran should be given an opportunity to demonstrate restraint and goodwill.
While Trump has dismissed claims that he was influenced by allies, the differing accounts highlight the complex diplomatic environment surrounding US-Iran relations. Analysts say the episode reflects the delicate balance between military pressure and diplomatic engagement in a region already facing heightened instability.
