Donald Trump has halted all strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure after what he described as ‘very good conversations’ aimed at ending the war, even as Tehran rejects his claim that peace talks are underway.
The President said that the US and Iran had ‘very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities’ over the last two days.
Trump said he had ordered the Defense Department ‘to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period.’
He warned that the cessation of the strikes was ‘subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.’
Iranian state media pushed back on Trump’s claims of ceasefire talks, insisting that no direct or indirect negotiations with the US have taken place.
A regime source taunted Trump by claiming after ‘hearing that our targets would include all power stations in West Asia, he backed down.’
Markets rocketed after Trump’s Truth Social post, with the Dow surging 1,000 points in pre-market trading, the S&P and Nasdaq each jumping more than 2 percent, while oil dropped 10 percent.
Trump’s ceasefire announcement comes after he threatened over the weekend to bomb Iran’s electricity grid unless the regime reopened the Strait of Hormuz with 48 hours.
Trump has halted all strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure after what he described as ‘very good conversations’ aimed at ending the war
An regime official taunted Trump by claiming after ‘hearing that our targets would include all power stations in West Asia, he backed down’
Trump warned that the cessation of the strikes was ‘subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions’
Trump previously threatened to use US troops to seize the small, rocky Kharg Island located in the Persian Gulf, where 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports
Iran responded by ignoring Trump’s deadline, vowing to strike water and energy facilities in the Middle East.
Trump downplayed any sense of ongoing diplomacy with Tehran amid the secret peace talks this weekend. Iranian authorities also warned that they would deploy naval mines across the Gulf on Monday if the US attempted to invade its coasts or islands.
Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war has caused a global oil and energy crisis.
Gas prices have surged to an average of $4.00 a gallon nationwide up from $2.90 before the conflict began three weeks ago.
The narrow strait – through which a fifth of the world’s oil flows – remains blocked by the threat of Iranian mines and missiles.
Tehran, so far, has not promised to reopen the passageway. Iran’s stranglehold over the Hormuz is seen as it’s greatest leverage of the US in the ongoing conflict.
Closing the Strait of Hormuz has proven relatively inexpensive for the regime, relying on drones and explosive suicide boats to disrupt global shipping.
Trump previously threatened to use US troops to seize the small, rocky Kharg Island located in the Persian Gulf, where 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports.
Trump downplayed any sense of ongoing diplomacy with Tehran amid the secret peace talks this weekend
Iran responded by ignoring Trump’s deadline, vowing to strike water and energy facilities in the Middle East
Markets rocketed after Trump’s Truth Social post, with the Dow surging 1,000 points in pre-market trading, the S&P and Nasdaq each jumping more than 2 percent, while oil dropped 10 percent
Brent crude as of Monday morning has fallen 13% to $96 a barrel following Trump’s announcement of peace talks
Closing the Strait of Hormuz has proven relatively inexpensive for the regime, relying on drones and explosive suicide boats to disrupt global shipping
Trump said he had ordered the Defense Department ‘ to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period’
Earlier this month, US precision strikes on the island reportedly destroyed 90 Iranian military targets, including aerial and naval defenses.
Iran has warned that any attempt to seize the island would spark retaliatory strikes against Gulf oil facilities and the mining of all shipping routes in the region.
Brent crude as of Monday morning has fallen 13% to $96 a barrel following Trump’s announcement of peace talks.
It is unclear what Trump’s ceasefire will focus on or whether Israel will be involved in the discussions.
US and Iranian diplomats have previously clashed over the regime’s ballistic missile and nuclear enrichment programs, as well as their current defense stockpiles.
The Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment.
