'There Will Not Be a Strike': Donald Trump Stalls Military Action as Iran Rejects US Surrender Call

US President Donald Trump has ruled out a strike on Iran for Sunday, 25 October, as Tehran said messages were still being passed to Washington through intermediaries and rejected what it described as a US demand for 'complete surrender.'

Trump made the statement while speaking to reporters before departing Joint Base Andrews. Asked whether he planned to attack Iran, he initially declined to disclose military plans before saying: 'No. There will not be a strike today.'

The remark ruled out an attack that day but did not amount to a decision to abandon military action. Negotiations have appeared stalled for weeks, and Trump has continued to present a deal and further military action as alternatives.

Tehran Says Diplomacy Is Still Alive

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran had not closed the door to diplomacy and that messages were still being exchanged with Washington through intermediaries.

'We have never walked away from the negotiating table or closed the door to diplomacy,' Baghaei said in an interview with German broadcaster ARD, according to reports of the interview.

He accused Washington of maintaining unilateral demands and said Trump and US officials repeatedly used the phrase 'complete surrender,' which he said no Iranian would accept. The phrase reflects Tehran's description of the US position; it does not establish that Washington issued a formal surrender ultimatum.

No agreement has been publicly announced. The exchanges suggest that communication channels remain open, but they do not confirm that the two sides are close to a deal.

Regional Powers Scramble To Head off Escalation

Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey were due to meet Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday, 26 October, as regional powers sought to reduce the risk of renewed fighting, according to reports by The Associated Press and other outlets.

The diplomatic effort comes amid concern that the conflict could escalate again. Israel was preparing for an election on Tuesday, while US midterm elections are scheduled for 3 November. The timing adds political pressure to an already volatile situation, although the talks do not by themselves indicate that a breakthrough is imminent.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran or its proxies could attack before Israel's election, citing intelligence. He said Israel's military was prepared to defend the country and retaliate. The warning represents Israel's assessment of the threat, not confirmation that an Iranian attack has been ordered.

US Signals Military Pressure at Strait of Hormuz

While Trump ruled out a strike for the day, US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper flew over the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. CENTCOM said more than 3,000 commercial vessels had transited the waterway with US military support over the previous six months.

The command also said US forces had cleared international shipping lanes of sea mines laid by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Those figures and operational claims reflect CENTCOM's account and have not been independently verified in full.

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for global energy shipments, making safe passage a major issue in the confrontation. CENTCOM said its forces remained focused on keeping commercial traffic moving alongside regional partners and the shipping industry.

Trump's statement did not announce a broader change in US military policy. The US military's continued activity around the strait shows that a decision not to strike on one day does not mean military pressure has been lifted or that further action has been ruled out.

A Pause in Fighting, Not a Peace Deal

The two sides continue to publicly disagree over the terms for ending the conflict. Tehran says diplomatic messages are continuing and rejects what it describes as a demand for surrender, while Washington has not announced a breakthrough in negotiations.

Regional mediation offers another channel for de-escalation, but its outcome remains uncertain. The continuing US military presence around the Strait of Hormuz and Netanyahu's warning underline the risks of a wider confrontation.

Trump's statement therefore amounts to a limited pause, not a resolution of the crisis. Whether the messages passing through intermediaries can produce an agreement remains unknown, and the possibility of renewed military action has not been ruled out.