
US President Donald Trump says he has "cancelled" strikes against Iran after previously threatening "very strong" strikes tonight.
He says he called off the attacks after negotiations with Iran "were brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved."
"The discussions and the final points, both in concept and in major details, have been approved by all parties involved," including "the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia," Trump says.
Trump's mixed messages on Iran have left key details unanswered and raised new questions about the state of the negotiations, our Washington correspondent writes.
Iran has not responded to Trump's latest message - but previously warned the US of an "endless quagmire in which you will be trapped for years".
Earlier, India confirmed that three sailors were killed in a US attack on a ship – the Settebello – near Oman on Wednesday. The US has also confirmed that it attacked two other ships – the Jalveer and the Marivex – in recent days.
However, the US president adds that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz will "remain in full force."
What is a naval blockade?
It is a US operation to stop ships from entering and leaving Iranian ports as a means of limiting Tehran's ability to profit from oil exports.
US forces are likely to use satellite and commercial intelligence to monitor which ships are leaving Iranian ports and wait for them to sail into the open Indian Ocean before intercepting them.
It began on April 13 in retaliation for restrictions on the Iranian-controlled Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route that passes through it.