US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the US "will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime" in response to "Iranian aggression," Reuters reported.
He backed away from days of angry rhetoric against Iran as the two countries tried to defuse a crisis over the American killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.
In an address from the White House, Trump said the United States did not necessarily have to respond militarily to Iranian missile attacks on military bases housing US troops in Iraq overnight.
He said no Americans were harmed in the strikes.
"The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it. We do not want to use it. American strength, both military and economic, is the best deterrent," he said.
"Our great American forces are prepared for anything. Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world," he said.