"They knew the extent of the attack because they saw it forming. Now what we're doing is we're talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon, and we'll see," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, according to CNN.

Trump said he decided to halt the planned military action after appeals from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Iran.

"We're all set to go, but when the allies asked to call it off, they got us sort of saying, 'Well, let's see.' And the reason they ask is they think there's a deal," Trump said.

"There's a deal on Hormuz, and then there will be a deal on the nuclear, or you might call it the denuclearization of Iran. I call it the denuclearization of Iran," he added.

Trump says strikes put on hold

In a separate Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump said the United States and Israel had agreed to put planned military strikes on Iran on hold after receiving a request from Tehran and several Middle Eastern nations. He claimed the broad framework of a deal to end the conflict had already been reached.

According to Trump, the proposed agreement includes the "immediate, complete, and total" reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—the world's most strategically important oil shipping route—which has remained largely closed since the conflict erupted on February 28.

'Locked and loaded' but opting for diplomacy

Trump said the US military remained fully prepared for military action but had chosen diplomacy over escalation following what he described as a breakthrough in negotiations.

"The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump wrote, adding that Iran and other regional countries had urged Washington to suspend any military action because the "parameters of a deal" had been agreed upon.

He also claimed the proposed agreement would eliminate Iran's nuclear threat.

"Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the world and the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a deal," Trump said.

Conflict escalated in recent months

The latest diplomatic push comes after weeks of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The United States resumed military operations against Iran last month after accusing Tehran of targeting commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by launching attacks on US military installations across Gulf countries.

A preliminary ceasefire agreement reached in June called for an immediate halt to military operations, including in Lebanon, and set a 60-day timeline for negotiating a comprehensive peace accord.

However, Trump declared the agreement "over" on July 8, while Tehran later suspended the memorandum of understanding, accusing Washington of violating its commitments.

If the upcoming negotiations succeed, the proposed agreement could mark a significant diplomatic breakthrough by ending hostilities, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and reviving efforts to resolve concerns over Iran's nuclear programme.