On March 23, Iranian media denied US President Donald Trump’s claims of “very good and productive” talks between the US and Iran over the past two days, after which he ordered a five-day delay in any military strikes against Iran’s power plants.
President Trump’s announcement came hours before a deadline that threatened to further escalate the conflict, now in its fourth week.
Following Trump’s “all caps” Truth Social post, Iran’s Fars news agency said there had been no direct communication with the United States or through intermediaries. Citing an unnamed source, Fars said Trump backed down after hearing Iran would respond by attacking all power plants in the region, Reuters reported.
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The report cited a source briefed on Israel’s war plans as saying that Washington had kept it informed of its talks with Tehran and that Israel would likely follow Washington in suspending any targeting of Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure.
The prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment on the US talks with Iran or Washington’s decision to delay strikes on some Iranian targets, it said.
The Fars report came shortly after Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that the U.S. and Iran had “VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE” talks over the past two days on the “COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.”
President Trump said he had ordered the Defense Department to delay the strikes pending the outcome of the talks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said earlier that he spoke by phone with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. Turkey has previously been a mediator in negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
Trump’s announcement came as the United Arab Emirates said its air defenses were attempting to intercept new incoming Iranian fire on Monday afternoon.
Earlier warning to Iran
Earlier on Monday, Iran warned it would attack power plants in the Middle East and mine the Persian Gulf after Trump threatened to bomb power plants in the Islamic Republic if it did not reopen the strait.
The war, now in its fourth week, has already seen several dramatic turning points – the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the bombing of a key Iranian natural gas field, and attacks targeting oil and gas facilities and other civilian infrastructure in the Arab Gulf states.
The conflict has killed more than 2,000 people, rocked the global economy, driven up oil prices and threatened some of the world’s busiest air corridors.
Trump’s ultimatum and Iran’s promise of retaliation threatened to raise the stakes again, with potentially catastrophic consequences for civilians across the region.
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Trump’s comments briefly sent Brent crude down 13% back below $100 a barrel. However, it was back around $105 by 1155 GMT. (OR)
Trump warned on Saturday that Iran’s power plants would be destroyed if Tehran did not open the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened retaliation on Monday, saying they would attack Israeli power plants and power plants supplying US bases in the Persian Gulf region if Trump follows through on his threat.
Trump backed down after hearing that Iran would respond by attacking all power plants in the region.
Iran has effectively closed the key Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows.
