Trump Has Run Out of Steam: Iranian Media Mocks US President After He Calls Off Planned Strikes
US President Donald Trump has become the target of ridicule across Iranian media after announcing that he had cancelled planned military strikes on Iran, claiming the "parameters" of a deal to end the war had been reached and that Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked Washington to hold off on military action.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said, "We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the parameters of a deal has been agreed to." He added that the proposed framework included the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and said both the United States and Israel had agreed to pause new strikes to give diplomacy a chance. Trump warned the pause would last only if a final agreement was reached quickly.
The announcement followed discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who reportedly urged Washington to avoid a wider regional war.
Reports from Israeli media claimed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had agreed in principle to a US and Qatari backed proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with the reported breakthrough playing a key role in Trump's decision to cancel the planned attack. The proposed arrangement reportedly involved commercial vessels entering the Gulf through Iranian waters and exiting via Omani waters under a monitored security framework.
Tehran, however, flatly rejected those claims. Iranian state media carried no report suggesting Iran had requested a halt in attacks or agreed to reopen the strategic waterway. Instead, Iranian outlets portrayed Trump's announcement as a retreat.
Iran's semi official Fars News Agency mocked the US president with the headline, "Trump the fool has run out of steam!" Political commentator Morteza Semiari said, "The Americans' mountain gave birth to a mouse once again," suggesting Washington's threats had ended without action.
Kayhan Online*, a newspaper aligned with Iran's Supreme Leader, said Trump had *"backed away from his positions once again after about a week of boasting and threats against Iran."
The semi-official Mehr News Agency denied that Tehran had sought a pause in strikes, saying Trump had "once again backed away from his hollow threats and presented his retreat to the world as a favour." It described Trump's claim as "nothing but a new lie" and said Iran's military remained "on high alert and ready for any eventuality."
Meanwhile, Tasnim News Agency cited Western reports suggesting shortages of US air defence missiles were among the reasons behind Trump's decision to postpone military action, arguing that military constraints rather than diplomacy had forced Washington to step back.
Iran also rejected reports that it had accepted a US backed agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Fars, citing a source close to Iranian negotiators, said the vital shipping lane would remain closed "as long as the United States maintains its hostile actions."