Very good and productive conversations with Iran: Trump
US President Donald Trump has backtracked on targeting Iran’s energy network, saying the US and Iran are having constructive talks and will postpone any attacks on power plants and energy infrastructure.
Trump’s statement came after Iran threatened to attack Israeli power plants and power plants feeding US bases in the Gulf region if the US targets Iran’s energy network.
Trump said in his social media post that talks with Iran will continue throughout the week.
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A reporter from US news outlet Axios said that representatives of Türkiye, Egypt and Pakistan met with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and separately with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Reporter Barak Ravid quoted an unnamed US source as saying the discussion was about ending the war and resolving all outstanding issues.
Araghchi’s ministry said there were “attempts” to de-escalate tensions, Mehr news agency reported, adding that Iran, as the party that started the war, wanted the United States to be a direct participant.
The White House did not respond to questions about the content of the talks, who attended and where the talks were held.
A source briefed on Israel’s war plans said the US had informed it about its talks with Iran and that Israel would follow the US in suspending any targets against Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure.
The Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The reaction from the markets was swift and pronounced: Brent crude oil futures fell sharply, the US dollar fell against other major currencies, stock markets rebounded and government borrowing costs fell.
“The United States and Iran have had very good and productive discussions over the past two days regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.
“I have instructed the War Department to postpone any military strikes against Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for a period of five days, subject to the success of ongoing meetings and discussions.”
On Saturday, Trump warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed if Iran did not “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz to all ships within 48 hours.
Trump set a deadline of 7:44 PM EDT on Monday (10:44 AM EDT on Tuesday).
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman welcomed the latest US announcement on Monday.
“We welcome any reports of productive talks,” a spokesman said after being asked about Trump’s announcement.
“We have always said that a rapid resolution of the war is in global interests and, in particular, the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened,” the spokesman told reporters.
Iranian attacks have largely closed the Bosphorus, which carries one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas.
Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas tankers passed through the Bosphorus on Monday, but general traffic on the waterway remains blocked, data and sources showed.
More than 2,000 people lost their lives in the war that the US and Israel launched on February 28, disrupting markets, increasing fuel costs and fueling fears of global inflation.
The Israeli military said early Monday it had begun its latest wave of large attacks on infrastructure in Tehran.
Iranian news agencies reported that 6 people were killed and 43 people were injured in attacks on residences in the western city of Khurramabad.
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The attack on the southern city of Bushehr targeted the local meteorological office and killed the chief meteorologist of Bushehr airport, state media reported.
The Iranian Red Crescent released video of a residential building in northern Tehran where most of the facade of an affluent building collapsed and emergency personnel rescued one of the upper floors on a stretcher.
The Saudi defense ministry said two ballistic missiles were launched towards Riyadh from across the Gulf.
One was captured and the other fell into a deserted area.
