Washington, Aug. 2 -- US President Donald Trump announced that he has called off planned American military strikes on Iran, citing "progress" toward a potential agreement to end the five-month conflict that includes the complete opening of the Strait of Hormuz, while making clear that the pause remains conditional on Tehran quickly reaching a deal with Washington.
The announcement marked a sharp shift in US policy just a day after Trump had warned that fresh military action against Iran could begin as early as this weekend.
In a post on social media, Trump said the United States remained prepared to launch military action but had agreed to delay it after requests from Iran and regional countries.
"The United States is locked and loaded a...