US and Israel Halt Planned Strikes on Iran Pending Rapid Deal, While Iran Denies Requesting De-escalation

US President Donald Trump announced that the United States and Israel would postpone new strikes against Iran, contingent on a swift agreement to end the five-month conflict. Trump stated that any deal would require the immediate and complete opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran's nuclear threat. However, Iran's Mehr news agency denied Trump's claim that Tehran had requested the US to refrain from strikes, asserting that Iranian armed forces remain on high alert. This development follows earlier reports of Kuwait intercepting Iranian drone attacks and Iran accusing the US of escalating regional tensions.