President Trump announced he's hitting pause on planned U.S. strikes against Iran — but made clear the American war machine is still cocked, locked and ready to unleash hell if Tehran steps out of line.

In a late-night Truth Social bombshell dropped just after 10 p.m. ET on Aug. 1, the president revealed that Iran and its Middle Eastern neighbors had begged Washington to "hold off any attack" after negotiators sketched out the outlines of a deal to end the spiraling conflict.

"Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a deal," Trump wrote.

But the commander-in-chief served notice that America's guns are still trained on Tehran — warning the United States remains "locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II."

The price for peace

Trump laid out two non-negotiable demands before the bombers stand down for good: Iran must immediately and completely reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, and it must shut down its nuclear threat once and for all.

He added that Israel has also signed on to hold its fire.

The dramatic stand-down came just a day after the White House had been telegraphing that fresh U.S. strikes were imminent, aimed at forcing Tehran to its knees.

"The United States signed an MOU with Iran and they broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Epoch Times. "President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur. Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way."

Tehran's threats

Even as the off-ramp emerged, Iran's brass was rattling sabers of its own — warning any country that shields U.S. forces will "burn in the fire of war."

"We explicitly declare that Muslim countries must exercise foresight, monitor America's crimes, and reconsider cooperation and alignment with the United States," Iranian Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi declared on state-run Press TV.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly relayed similar threats in calls with his Turkish and Saudi counterparts on Aug. 1.

The ceasefire the two sides struck on April 8 — and a June memorandum of understanding for further peace talks — collapsed in July after Iranian forces renewed attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and on neighboring countries hosting U.S. military bases.

Trump responded with 13 straight days of U.S. strikes before a brief pause on July 25. American forces launched another round on July 29 after Iran tried to missile a U.S. outpost in Jordan. Kuwait's military reported intercepting multiple Iranian drones on Aug. 1.

Americans warned: get out

The State Department issued a fresh travel advisory urging U.S. citizens across the Middle East to "consider departing" — or be ready to bolt "should there be escalation."

The warning came a week after at least eight American embassies in the region told U.S. travelers to brace for "flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions."

The Aug. 1 update warned that "U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted" — and that Iran and its proxies may come after American interests and businesses worldwide.

The ball is now in Tehran's court. The bombs are on hold — but the trigger finger is still twitching.