NPR News: 08-03-2026 10AM EDT
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Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Doa Lisa Kautel. President Trump backed out of threats to unleash another round of heavy strikes on Iran over the weekend. On Wednesday, he said the U.S. would be, quote, hitting them very hard. But by Saturday night, he called the strikes off.
And Piers Hadil Al-Shalchi reports.
Why did President Trump call off planned strikes on Iran and who mediated the decision?
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, President Trump said Gulf leaders, including Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, convinced him to call off strikes against Iran over the weekend.
But when the allies ask to call it off, you got to sort of say, well, let's see. And the reason they asked is I think there's a deal.
He said that the, quote, perimeters of a deal were reached, but no details were provided. Iran's foreign minister said he had conducted a number of calls with mediator Pakistan and Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Oral prices dropped yesterday after Trump's announcement that he'd hold off on those strikes. Hadil Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Istanbul.
Iranian state media says Tehran is not currently negotiating with the United States. Stocks opened higher after President Trump halted a promised attack on Iran. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped about 600 points in early trading.
Oil prices fell on hopes that an escalation of fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz might be avoided. Retail gasoline prices showed little change overnight. AAA says the average price of regular gas is about $4.09 a gallon. That's down slightly from a week ago, but about $0.27 a gallon higher than this time last month. The U.S. and Japan say they're working together to rebalance exchange rates between the dollar and the yen. The move comes after the yen fell to a 40-year low against the greenback, making U.S. exports more expensive in Japan. Canadian airline WestJet has reached a tentative deal with flight attendants after a day-old strike forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
In Michigan, voters will choose between four-term Congresswoman Haley Stevens, a moderate, and Dr. Abdul Al-Said, a progressive candidate and former public health official. NPR's Tamara Keith reports on the closely watched Democratic race in the Purple State.
It's a true swing state, and Democrats really need to hang on to that seat, currently held by a retiring Democrat, if they want a chance of gaining control of the Senate. The primary matchup really reflects something Democrats have been wrestling with at least since 2016. Who can win, a populist progressive or a moderate favored by the Democratic establishment?
Established Democrats say for swing voters, nominating El-Said is too much of a risk because some of the positions that he's taken could be painted as extreme. But those in the insurgent wing of the party say playing it safe is the real electability problem. You're listening to NPR News from New York City. Taiwan says the U.S. remains Taipei's most important partner when it comes to security. The statement comes as Beijing increases pressure on the democratic island, which it claims as its own. From Taiwan, Jan Kamisen Brumby has more.
Head of Taiwan's National Security Council Joseph Wu said in an interview with Nikkei Asia that U.S. support for Taiwan is quote, indispensable, adding that the threats Beijing poses are not just towards Taiwan, but also the entire region. Earlier this year, China's Coast Guard began launching what they call law enforcement patrols in the waters east of Taiwan. The U.S. State Department has described the maneuvers as quote, deeply destabilizing, adding that China's actions exacerbate tensions. Although the U.S. does not recognize Taiwan diplomatically, it is obliged by law to sell defensive arms to the island. Beijing, who claims Taiwan has ratcheted up pressure on the democracy in recent years. Taiwan's Wu says in the face of Beijing's threats,
International cooperation is vital, adding that Washington remains Taipei's closest security partner. For NPR News, I'm Jan Kamzenbrumby in Taipei.
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