US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that planned US military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure will be delayed for five days, following “very good and productive conversations” between Washington and Tehran over the past two days.
Writing in all capital letters on Truth Social, Trump said the decision to postpone attacks was based on the “tone and tenor” of the discussions. “I AM PLEASE TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST,” he wrote.
He added that the talks, described as “in depth, detailed, and constructive,” will continue throughout the week and that the Department of War has been instructed to hold off on any strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, contingent on the success of the ongoing discussions.
The announcement comes as Trump’s original 48-hour ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expired on Monday, a deadline that Tehran had vowed to meet with warnings of retaliatory measures. Iran’s National Defence Council previously stated that any attempt to attack the Iranian coast or islands would result in “all communication lines in the Persian Gulf [being] mined.”
The move also comes amid increasing international pressure and Trump’s growing isolation. Many countries have called for urgent de-escalation in the region to prevent the further spread of the US-“Israeli” war on Iran and to stabilize global oil markets, which have surged due to threats against Iranian energy infrastructure. Diplomats from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East have repeatedly urged Washington to pursue dialogue over military action, warning that strikes could trigger a broader regional conflict with catastrophic economic consequences.
Earlier last week, Trump had signaled he was not interested in pursuing a ceasefire with Iran. “We could have dialogue, but I don’t want to do a ceasefire,” he said Friday afternoon. The five-day postponement represents a significant softening of tone after days of heightened tensions that had threatened to escalate into direct strikes on critical Iranian energy infrastructure.
The move comes amid ongoing volatility in the region, with the US and “Israeli” military operations in Iran contributing to global energy uncertainty and rising oil prices, while diplomatic channels between the two countries appear to have opened, at least temporarily, to avoid immediate conflict.
