Trump halts power plant strikes amid ‘productive’ talks
Trump announces reprieve on Iranian bombing claiming it comes after “productive conversations” – one immediately rejected by Iranian leaders.
Source: Fox News
US President Donald Trump claims the US and Iran have had “productive conversations” about ending the conflict in the Middle East, but Iran has dismissed his statement as “fake news”.
Trump said he would postpone “any and all strikes” on Iranian power plants for five days as talks with Tehran continued through the week.
It follows Trump setting a 48-hour deadline for Iran to allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz or America would “obliterate” the country’s power stations.
On Tuesday (AEDT), Trump posted a follow-up statement to Truth Social.
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“I am please (sic) 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,” he wrote in all upper-case letters.
“Based on the tenor and tone of these in-depth, detailed, and constructive conversations, witch (sic) 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.”
However, an X account attributed to Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf rejected the suggestions of any talks with the US.
“No negotiations have been held with the US, and fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped,” it posted.
The reaction from markets to Trump’s promise to hold off power plant strikes was swift and marked.
Brent crude oil fell about 13 per cent to $US96 a barrel, gas prices dropped, stock markets rallied and government borrowing costs fell back.
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Later, Trump said his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner spoke to Iranian officials on Sunday and that discussions would continue on Monday (local time).
“We have had very, very strong talks. We’ll see where they lead. We have points, major points of agreement, I would say, almost all points of agreement … we’ve had very strong talks, Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner had them,” Trump said.
“All I’m saying is, we are in the throes of a real possibility of making a deal,” he said before departing Florida for Memphis.
He declined to say who the US was speaking to in Iran but said it was not Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
Trump said Iran “had some leaders left”.
“We’re dealing with the man who I believe is the most respected and the leader,” he said.
Iranian attacks have largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas.
Trump said the vital waterway would be “opened very soon” if the talks succeeded. He said it would be “jointly controlled” although he did not give a clear answer on by whom.
More than 2000 people have been killed in the war the US and Israel launched on February 28. It has also upended markets, driven up fuel costs and accelerated global inflation fears.
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday welcomed the latest US statement.
“Any reports of productive talks are welcome,” they said.
“We’ve always said that swift resolution to the war is in global interests and the Strait of Hormuz specifically needs to be reopened.”
-with AAP
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