President Donald Trump ordered the Department of War on Monday to “postpone” all strikes targeting power plants and energy infrastructure in Iran for five days this week.
The announcement was the result of “very good and productive conversations” between the United States and Iran. It comes after Trump threatened to destroy Iranian power plants if Iran didn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
“I AM PLEASED 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 posted on Truth Social on Monday morning.
Trump left the door open for strikes “subject to the success” of the negotiations, however.
“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 wrote.
Immediately following the post, Iran’s Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, quoted an unnamed Iranian source who said there was “no direct or indirect contact with Trump” and that after “hearing that our targets would include all power stations in West Asia, he backed down.”
Trump had threatened on Saturday to strike Iranian power plants by Monday night if the Islamic regime did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital oil chokepoints, prompting Iran to threaten in-kind attacks on regional energy infrastructure.
Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began, prompting Trump to mobilize other nations for help in securing the waterway. Iran denies the strait is blocked, as it has made exceptions for some cargo ships to navigate it during the war.
“Strait of Hormuz is not closed. Ships hesitate because insurers fear the war of choice you initiated—not Iran,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a Sunday statement directed toward Trump. “No insurer—and no Iranian—will be swayed by more threats. Try respect.”
Araghchi has consistently denied any interest in holding peace talks, citing a “very bitter experience” of negotiating with the U.S. He was likely referring to past negotiations that were blown up by U.S.-Israel airstrikes, first in June 2025 and again in late February when the U.S. and Iran were negotiating a new nuclear deal. Those talks were interrupted by Operation Epic Fury.
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The renewed peace talks announced by Trump come about three weeks after he ordered the initial strikes, which have turned into a broader war.
On Friday, Trump said he wasn’t interested in pursuing a ceasefire with Iran but left room open for constructive dialogue.
