Trump halts airstrikes on Iran, cites progress toward accord

President Trump called off additional airstrikes on Iranian targets and signaled that negotiations with Iran were approaching a resolution.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said a deal between the two countries could be finalized this weekend. He did not specify which Iranian targets he had considered striking or provide details about the proposed agreement.

Iran's government disputed Trump's account of the negotiations. Officials in Tehran denied that talks had progressed toward a broader, longer-term accord between the nations.

The exchange marked a shift in rhetoric from days earlier, when Trump had authorized military action. The cancelation of the third wave of strikes suggested a change in the administration's approach to the Iranian standoff, though no formal agreement had been announced.

Trump did not elaborate on what conditions prompted him to halt the airstrikes or what specific terms the two sides were discussing. Journalist William Brangham reported on the development.