US President Donald Trump said on Monday he plans to hold off on new military strikes against Iran for the time being after appeals from countries in the region, including from Qatar's prime minister in White House talks.
"At this point ... taking the military action doesn't seem to be a very necessary thing. But we're locked and loaded, ready to go for any reason that changes," Trump told reporters.
"I think it's going to be ending fairly soon," he said, referring to the conflict against Tehran.
Trump, in a Reuters interview and a later appearance in the White House press briefing room, said he plans to keep up a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz for now.
"The United States of America is fully locked and loaded with the best equipment ever made, and we don't think there's going to be any reason to use it," Trump told reporters.
He noted that Washington was acting at the behest of neighbouring countries that prefer the US refrain from launching new attacks.
Trump spoke after meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a key intermediary with Tehran, as efforts to end the war ramp up following last week's US midterm election.
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