WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he has ordered a pause on planned military strikes against Iranian energy facilities, citing “very good and productive discussions” with Tehran. He indicated that diplomatic negotiations will continue throughout the week.
Just hours before the deadline of his two-day ultimatum in which he threatened to destroy Iran’s power infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened Trump unexpectedly reported that diplomatic efforts were underway, after previously dismissing the idea of talks.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed optimism: “Over the past two days, the United States and Iran have engaged in very good and fruitful conversations aimed at fully resolving our hostilities in the Middle East.” He further stated that, based on the positive tone of these discussions, he had instructed the Department of Defense to delay any military action against Iranian energy assets for five days, contingent on the ongoing negotiations.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, following Trump’s announcement. Russia’s Foreign Ministry reported that Lavrov called for an immediate end to hostilities and a political solution that respects Iran’s legitimate interests, emphasizing the importance of dialogue.
Market reactions were positive, with oil prices dropping sharply amid hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough. Brent crude oil plummeted over 14% to $96.00 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate fell more than 14% to $84.37 per barrel.
Earlier, Trump had set a deadline of 23:44 GMT on Monday early Tuesday in Tehran for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil passes. Iran had partially closed the strait as retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes carried out on February 28, which resulted in the deaths of several top officials, including Iran’s longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran remained defiant, warning that if Trump proceeded with military action, they would target vital regional infrastructure, including energy installations and desalination plants, essential in the arid Gulf region.
Trump did not provide further details about the status of the negotiations, though he had previously claimed that Iran sought talks, which Tehran denied, and he refused to engage. In the days leading up to these events, the U.S. and Iran had been engaging in indirect discussions over a nuclear agreement, mediated by Oman, shortly before the U.S. and Israel launched their attack.
