WASHINGTON, January 19. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump has decided to de-escalate tensions with Iran and has refused to launch an attack on the country after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Axios reported, citing sources in the White House.
According to the news outlet, on January 9, US Vice President JD Vance held a meeting with the US military tto discuss the possibility of intervening militarily in Iran. On January 13, Trump held another meeting and ordered the creation of a specific plan to attack Iran. According to the news outlet's sources, the discussion focused on missile strikes from US Navy ships and submarines.
However, Trump did not give the final order to use force. At the same time, the US military waited for the order throughout the day on January 14, believing that the decision had already been made.
According to Axios, Netanyahu told the US leader that Israel is not ready to defend itself against a potential Iranian retaliatory strike, partly due to insufficient US air defense capabilities in the region. In a conversation with Trump, Mohammed bin Salman stressed that US military intervention could destabilize the situation in the Middle East overall. In addition, according to the news outlet’s sources, Washington has been discussing de-escalation steps with Tehran.
Nevertheless, Axios' sources indicated that Trump is still considering a forceful response against Iran. Currently, however, Washington has opted to reduce tensions.
Situation in Iran
Unrest in Iran began on December 29, 2025, after street protests triggered by a sharp fall in the Iranian rial exchange rate, spreading across most major cities. Authorities reported the deaths of 40 law enforcement officers. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, armed terrorists appeared among the demonstrators on January 8. At least 13 civilians, including a three-year-old child, were killed that day as a result of the rioters' actions. The Iranian authorities blamed Israel and the United States for organizing the riots.
On January 11, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, Iran's elite military unit) called on Iranians to actively participate in pro-government rallies, mass marches, and demonstrations the following day. Their main slogan was "Rejection of unrest and foreign interference in Iran's internal affairs.".