President Donald Trump agreed to continue negotiations with Iran after agreeing to a military strike, stating he was "an hour away" from ordering an attack before his Gulf allies requested he hold off.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said the U.S. military was fully prepared to launch an attack on Iran until his Middle Eastern allies asked him to temporarily postpone action.

"We were ready to go," Trump said, adding, "the ships were loaded, and they were ready."

Trump stated that regional partners, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain, reached out to him directly after learning that military action was imminent.

"They said, 'Sir, would you please hold on? We think we're very close to a deal,'" he recounted.

However, the president emphasized that any delay would be short-term, warning that Iran still posed an existential threat if allowed to develop nuclear weapons.

"We can't let them have nuclear weapons," Trump said. "If they have nuclear weapons, they're going to attack Israel. They're going to blow Israel off the map in a very short period of time."

During the press conference, Trump initially focused on the construction of a new ballroom at the White House, but then warned that Iran was likely targeting Gulf countries and could trigger what he called a "nuclear holocaust."

Trump described Iran's leadership as "extremely radicalized people" and said, "there's no question they're going to use nuclear weapons."

The president also revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping had assured him that China was not supplying weapons to Tehran, despite escalating regional tensions.

"President Xi Jinping promised me they would not be sending any weapons to Iran," Trump said. "I believe him."

Trump also stated that Iran had been "using the Strait of Hormuz as a military weapon for 47 years," and vowed that the United States would ensure that global shipping lanes remained open.

The remarks came as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate, with months of stalemate in diplomacy and growing concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Trump defended his decision to withdraw from former President Barack Obama's nuclear deal during his first term, claiming that the decision prevented Tehran from rapidly expanding its nuclear capabilities.

"If I hadn't broken out of the Iran nuclear deal of Barack Hussein Obama, that wouldn't have happened," Trump said.

The president argued that any short-term economic disruption caused by a confrontation with Iran would be worth preventing a nuclear catastrophe.

"I will not allow the world to go up in ashes during my term," Trump said.

Trump also dismissed criticism from some Democrats and Republicans opposing potential military action, asserting that the majority of Americans understood the stakes.

"When I'm with people and I ask them, 'Is it okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons?' and everyone says, 'No.' So there's nothing more to discuss," Trump said.

The president reiterated that Iran would "never have nuclear weapons," adding that the issue would be resolved "very soon" through diplomatic means or military force.

"In any way, that's not going to happen," Trump said.

U.S. NNP=Reporter Sung Ku Hong / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com