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United States President Donald Trump revealed on March 23 that his administration has been engaged in productive talks with Iran, leading him to temporarily pause his pledge to bomb the Islamic Republic’s power plants if it didn’t allow the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Based on the tenor and tone of these in depth, detailed and constructive conversations, which will continue throughout the week, 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, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions,” he added.
The surprise announcement came just hours before the end of the two-day ultimatum Trump gave to Iran late on March 21.
The Islamic Republic had responded to the ultimatum by renewing its threat to infrastructure in the region, including even water desalination plants.
The exchange of threats sent oil prices well over $110 per barrel, and after Trump’s latest announcement the price fell by %13.
Commenting on the announcement, the Islamic Republic’s state TV said that the “U.S. president backed down following Iran’s firm warning”.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry, from its side, said that there are no talks with the U.S. and accused Trump of buying time while regional de-escalation efforts go on.
“With this kind of psychological warfare, neither will the Strait of Hormuz return to pre-war conditions nor will calm return to energy markets,” a senior Iranian official told the semi-official Tasnim News Agency. “Trump’s five-day ultimatum means the continuation of this regime’s plans for crimes against people, and we will continue to respond and defend the country extensively.”
Meanwhile, Oman’s foreign minister warned that continuing the war will only cause more economic hardship, and that his country is “working intensively to put in place safe passage arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz.”
“Whatever your view of Iran, this war is not of their making,” wrote FM Badr Albusaidi on X. “This is already causing widespread economic problems and I fear they promise to get much worse if the war continues.”
Trump’s latest maneuver is most likely meant to push the Islamic Republic to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in one way or another.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps previously warned that any ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz would be attacked, and the waterway — where roughly 20% of the world’s oil production passes daily — has effectively been closed since the start of the American-Israeli war on the Islamic Republic, with many vessels hit by Iranian fire there and in nearby waters.
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trump blinked! taco!👍
trumps imagining negotiations with the iranians so he can surrender without losing face looool
iran is begging for mercy…heheheh
generally trumps word is no good, he usually does just the opposite. in the russian news the putin administration is taking some credit for this so called ‘cease fire’.