Trump halts Iran strikes as Tehran demands return to nuclear deal

US President Donald Trump suspended a planned military strike against Iranian targets on Friday, following the downing of a US surveillance drone by Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The decision to halt the operation, which was reportedly in its initial stages, came as Tehran issued a formal demand for Washington to return to the 2015 nuclear agreement. Tactical pause and diplomatic friction The IRGC confirmed it shot down a US Global Hawk drone over the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, claiming the aircraft violated Iranian airspace. The Pentagon disputed this account, stating the drone was operating in international airspace over the Gulf of Oman. Trump’s decision to pull back from a kinetic response followed internal deliberations where the President reportedly weighed the risk of casualties against the severity of the drone loss. Iranian officials communicated through international intermediaries that they do not seek war but will defend their territory against further incursions. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that any de-escalation depends on the United States "honouring the deal," referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) from which Trump withdrew in May 2018. Regional security and energy impacts The standoff has immediate implications for global oil markets and maritime security in the Middle East. Over 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions have spiked following recent attacks on…