EditTrump postpones Iran power plant strikes after “productive talks”, reversing weekend ultimatum
The flip-flop marks the latest oscillation in his approach to the conflict after Tehran said it would turn the entire Gulf into “a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz”
In a sudden policy reversal on Monday, President Donald Trump has postponed planned U.S. strikes on Iranian power plants for five days following what he described as “VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE” conversations with Tehran aimed at achieving a “COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.”
The decision comes just hours before a self-imposed deadline set by Trump on Saturday would have triggered the destruction of Iran’s energy infrastructure. In that earlier announcement, Trump had warned that Iranian power plants would be obliterated if Tehran failed to “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours – an ultimatum due to expire around 7:44 p.m. EDT (2344 GMT) on Monday. The threat was issued amid a four-week-old U.S.-Israeli war against Iran that began on February 28 and has already killed more than 2,000 people while driving oil prices skyward and rattling global markets.
Trump’s latest Truth Social post, written in all capital letters, signaled a dramatic pivot. He revealed that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks on Sunday night with an unnamed “respected Iranian leader,” producing “major points of agreement.” Trump told Fox Business Network that Iran “wants badly to make a deal” that could be sealed within five days or less. He added that Iran had agreed never to develop a nuclear weapon and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen soon if negotiations succeed. The White House has kept Israel informed, and Israeli officials are expected to suspend their own targeting of Iranian energy facilities in parallel
The flip-flop marks the latest oscillation in Trump’s approach to the conflict. Just days earlier, his administration had escalated rhetoric and set a hard deadline, prompting fierce Iranian counter-threats. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Defence Council warned they would strike power plants supplying U.S. bases across the Gulf, lay sea mines across shipping lanes, and target electricity grids that power desalination plants – facilities responsible for nearly all drinking water in Bahrain and Qatar, over 80% in the UAE, and half in Saudi Arabia. Such retaliation, Tehran said, would turn the entire Gulf into “a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz for a long time.”
Iranian state media offered conflicting signals on Monday. Some outlets denied any direct contact with Washington, while the Foreign Ministry acknowledged “initiatives” to reduce tensions and insisted the U.S. – as the party that launched the war – must engage directly. Separate mediation efforts by Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan, involving meetings with Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, appear to have facilitated the back-channel dialogue.
Financial markets reacted with immediate relief. Brent crude plunged nearly 13% to around $96–$101 a barrel, U.S. stock futures surged more than 2%, and the dollar weakened. Analysts described the pause as a “sigh of relief” but cautioned it is not yet a ceasefire. International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol called the ongoing energy crisis worse than the 1970s oil shocks combined with the 2022 Russia-Ukraine gas crunch.
The postponement also drew cautious welcome from European allies. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had personally urged Trump against striking power plants, citing humanitarian and regional stability concerns. Britain echoed the call for de-escalation and full reopening of the Strait, through which one-fifth of global oil and LNG passes.
Whether the five-day window yields a breakthrough or merely buys time remains uncertain. Trump has not ruled out resuming strikes if talks falter, while Iran insists the Hormuz closure will persist until pre-war conditions are restored. For now, the President’s rapid shift from ultimatum to negotiation has temporarily eased fears of a wider energy catastrophe – but the four-week war’s underlying tensions linger.
With Reuters, edited by EUalive.
Caption: US President Donald J. Trump responds to a question from the news media as he walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 20 March 2026. EPA/SHAWN THEW / POOL
Updated: March 23, 2026 - 16:59
