Trump Calls Off Planned May 19 Iran Strike at Request of Saudi, UAE, and Qatari Leaders; Negotiations 'Serious' — War Day 80

President Trump announced on May 19, 2026 (War Day 80) that he called off a scheduled military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar personally requested he hold off because 'serious negotiations are now taking place.' Trump publicly disclosed he had a strike 'set for Monday or Tuesday,' with Gulf leaders urging a pause on the belief that a diplomatic solution remains achievable. The announcement came one day after Trump warned Iran to 'get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them.' US officials characterized Iran's revised 14-point counter-proposal — submitted to Pakistani mediators — as 'not a meaningful improvement' on prior proposals and insufficient for a deal. Trump simultaneously directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine to remain 'prepared to go forward with a full, large-scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice' if an acceptable deal is not reached. The central sticking points remain: the US demands an enrichment moratorium of at least 10–12 years and surrender of Iran's estimated 440 kg of highly-enriched uranium, while Iran has offered only a 5-year suspension and refuses to dismantle nuclear facilities. A one-page MOU framework is in negotiation with Qatar and Pakistan as the primary mediation channels. The Strait of Hormuz naval blockade continues with approximately 41 tankers (roughly 69 million barrels) blocked.