Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday that he has ordered a five-day postponement of previously threatened military strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, emphasizing that both Washington and Tehran are inclined towards negotiating a deal to bring an end to their ongoing conflict.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump's announcement followed a weekend of what he described as "productive" discussions aimed at reaching a "complete" and "total" resolution of the tensions between the two nations. However, Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency has denied the occurrence of any talks between Washington and Tehran.
The President's comments come in the wake of his earlier statement on Saturday, where he warned that the U.S. military would "obliterate" Iran's power plants if the nation did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping lane, within a 48-hour timeframe.
Trump expressed satisfaction over the reported conversations, stating that they were "in-depth, detailed, and constructive," and claimed that these discussions would continue over the week. He instructed the Department of War to hold off on any military actions against Iran for a five-day period, contingent on the success of ongoing dialogues.
The decision to delay military action arises amid mounting concerns over the potential economic repercussions of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, particularly concerning oil prices and inflation. These economic factors could significantly influence voter sentiment in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections, where the control of Congress is at stake.
Despite Iran's denial of any dialogue, Trump maintained that the two sides had engaged in "very strong" talks, noting significant points of agreement. He mentioned that special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner were involved in the negotiations with a "top" Iranian figure.
Trump reiterated the mutual desire to reach an agreement, stating, "They want very much to make a deal. We'd like to make a deal too." He also emphasized the U.S.'s stance against Iran's nuclear program, expressing a desire for "peace in the Middle East" and insisting on the absence of nuclear weapons.
The current tensions stem from the U.S. and Israel's military campaign, "Operation Epic Fury," initiated on February 28. The campaign aimed to dismantle Iran's missile capabilities and prevent the development of nuclear weapons, resulting in the death of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz and launched strikes targeting energy facilities across the Middle East, contributing to rising oil prices.