Trump abruptly postpones Iran power plant strikes after 'very good' talks
US President Donald Trump said Monday he will hold off on attacking Iranian power plants for five days after "very good" talks with Tehran, an abrupt shift that immediately eased pressure on rattled markets.
Hours before the expiration of his two-day ultimatum -- in which he threatened to "obliterate" Iran''s power infrastructure if it did not reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz -- Trump suddenly reported with little detail that diplomacy was underway, after he earlier shunned talks.
In a social media post characteristically in all capital letters and containing typographical errors, Trump said the United States and 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."
"Based on the tenor and tone" of the talks, "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," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The post came just hours before Wall Street was set to open after brutal selloffs on European and Asian markets and a further climb in the price of oil.
Market pressure immediately eased after Trump''s post, including in the price of oil which has posed an increasing political headache for Trump as Americans complain of higher prices at the pump.
Trump had initially issued through social media a deadline of 2344 GMT Monday -- early Tuesday in Tehran -- for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passageway into the Gulf through which one-fifth of the world''s oil transits.
Iran had partly closed the strait as part of its retaliation for US and Israeli attacks launched on February 28 that have killed top officials including the cleric-run nation''s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamanei.
Iran had remained defiant and threatened that if Trump went ahead it would target vital infrastructure across the Gulf including energy sites and desalination plants critical in the parched region.
Trump offered no immediate details on the purported new talks. He has earlier insisted that Iran was asking to talk -- which Tehran denied -- but that he refused.
The United States and Iran were holding talks on a nuclear accord through Omani mediation days before the United States and Israel attacked.