WASHINGTON: Donald Trump announced a temporary halt to planned military strikes on Iran’s power infrastructure, citing “constructive and productive” discussions between Washington and Tehran.
The decision comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, where the United States had earlier threatened to target Iran’s energy facilities. However, Trump indicated that ongoing diplomatic engagement had opened a window for de-escalation.
The United States and Iran have held “very good and productive conversations” over the past two days, aimed at reaching a comprehensive resolution to ongoing hostilities in the region.
“I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period,” Trump stated, adding that the delay is contingent upon the success of continued negotiations.
In this regard, the announcement followed a stern warning from Iran, which had threatened retaliatory attacks on Israeli power facilities and energy sources supplying US military bases across the Gulf if its own infrastructure were targeted.
Tensions had intensified after Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum on Saturday, demanding that Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz a vital global shipping route responsible for transporting nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.
Iranian actions have effectively disrupted traffic through the strait, raising global economic concerns.
In this sense, the conflict, which escalated following a joint US-Israel military campaign launched on February 28, has already resulted in over 2,000 casualties. The ongoing crisis has significantly impacted global markets, pushing fuel prices higher and intensifying fears of inflation worldwide.
