Trump claims ‘productive’ talks with Iran, orders five-day pause on strikes against energy infrastructure

WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration has held productive talks with Iran over the past two days aimed at reaching a full resolution to the war in the Middle East, and has ordered a five-day pause on military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure.

“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,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The announcement marks a significant shift in tone from the president, who had repeatedly insisted in recent days that U.S. forces were “accelerating” the campaign and that the operation was far from over.

It comes as global energy markets reel from the conflict’s impact, with Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and strikes on Gulf energy facilities — including Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG complex — sending oil prices surging and prompting growing international calls for de-escalation.

Trump did not disclose the format or venue of the talks, who represented the Iranian side, or what specific terms were under discussion.

The five-day pause is explicitly conditional on progress in the ongoing negotiations.

The war, which began on February 28 with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, has killed more than 1,300 people including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has drawn widespread international criticism over its impact on civilian infrastructure and global energy supplies.