Level 1 — Absolute Beginner
The United States and Iran have been at war since February 2026. On Saturday, President Trump said he is stopping a new attack on Iran.
Trump said Middle East countries are helping to make a peace deal. The deal would open the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea path used by many oil ships.
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Iran will still fight back if the United States or Israel attacks again.
Leaders in Saudi Arabia are asking both sides to stay calm and talk instead of fight.
- war
- a fight between countries or groups using weapons
- attack
- an action to hurt or damage an enemy
- peace deal
- an agreement to stop fighting
- strait
- a narrow strip of water connecting two seas
- oil
- a thick liquid used for fuel and energy
- foreign minister
- a government leader who talks with other countries
- fight back
- to respond to an attack with force
- calm
- quiet, without fighting or trouble
Level 2 — Elementary
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday night that he is calling off a planned attack on Iran, months after the two countries entered a war in February 2026.
Trump said the pause depends on quickly reaching a deal that would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that much of the world's oil passes through, and end what he called Iran's nuclear threat.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned against any new 'aggressive action' by the United States, saying Iran would respond firmly to any fresh attack from the US or Israel.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been urging all sides toward dialogue, and other regional leaders have joined the push for a lasting ceasefire instead of more fighting.
- announce
- to officially tell people about something
- planned
- prepared or decided in advance
- pause
- a temporary stop in an action
- waterway
- a route for ships to travel through water
- nuclear threat
- the danger from powerful weapons that use nuclear energy
- aggressive
- ready to attack or behave in a forceful way
- respond
- to react to something that has happened
- dialogue
- a conversation between two or more sides to solve a problem
Level 3 — Intermediate
President Trump announced late Saturday that he would call off a newly planned strike on Iran, citing what he described as rapid progress toward a deal, months after the United States and Israel launched joint 'major combat operations' against Iran in late February 2026.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said any emerging agreement would need to include the 'Immediate, Complete, and Total' reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint through which a large share of the world's seaborne oil passes, alongside a definitive end to Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi pushed back against the pressure, warning regional counterparts in Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia that any renewed American or Israeli strikes would draw a 'decisive response,' even as he signaled Tehran's own preference was for a 'proportionate' rather than escalatory reply.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has separately pressed Washington toward restraint, part of a broader regional effort to convert the fragile pause into a durable ceasefire before renewed strikes could reignite the five month conflict.
- cite
- to mention something as a reason or example
- chokepoint
- a narrow passage that controls the flow of something important, like ships or oil
- seaborne
- carried or transported by sea
- ambition
- a strong desire to achieve something, often power or a goal
- counterpart
- a person holding a similar position in another place or organization
- escalatory
- tending to make a conflict more serious or intense
- restraint
- self control that keeps someone from acting rashly or aggressively
- durable
- able to last for a long time without breaking down
Level 4 — Advanced
President Trump announced late Saturday that he would suspend a freshly planned strike on Iran, citing rapid diplomatic momentum toward a settlement, five months after the United States and Israel launched joint 'major combat operations' against Iranian military, government, and infrastructure targets in late February 2026.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stipulated that any resulting agreement must encompass the 'Immediate, Complete, and Total' reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital maritime chokepoint through which a substantial share of the world's seaborne oil transits, coupled with a definitive resolution of Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rebuffed the implicit pressure, cautioning counterparts in Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia that renewed American or Israeli aggression would elicit a 'decisive response,' while simultaneously signaling that Tehran's preference remained a 'proportionate' rather than an escalatory reply.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has meanwhile lobbied Washington toward restraint, part of a wider regional endeavor to convert a fragile, provisional pause into a durable ceasefire before any resumption of hostilities could reignite a conflict already five months in duration.
- suspend
- to temporarily stop or delay an action
- momentum
- the force or speed that keeps a process moving forward
- settlement
- a formal agreement that resolves a dispute
- stipulate
- to state a condition as part of an agreement
- transit
- to pass through or across a place on the way to another
- rebuff
- to reject or refuse someone in a blunt way
- elicit
- to draw out a response or reaction
- provisional
- arranged temporarily, subject to later change
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