President Donald Trump says the United States and Iran want to make a deal and the two sides have “major points of agreement” after he ordered the US military to postpone strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days.
“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 Monday in all caps on his Truth Social platform.
“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.”
Speaking to reporters at a Florida airport, Trump said Iran wanted “to make a deal” and US envoys have been holding talks with a “respected” Iranian leader but not Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. He asserted that Iran must give up its enriched uranium stockpile for a deal.
The US president also said the Strait of Hormuz would be opened very soon if an agreement is reached.
“If a deal happens, it’s a great start for Iran and the region,” he said, adding that he could not guarantee a deal with Tehran. The US president claimed that the Iranians called him for talks and not the other way round.
Earlier, Trump told the Fox Business Network that Tehran wants to make a deal badly and it could happen within five days. He said his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were engaged in talks most recently on Sunday night.
Context: Donald Trump announced discussions between the US and Iran for a potential resolution of hostilities in the Middle East.
Fact Check: Iranian officials denied that any talks had taken place between Washington and Tehran.
Looking for an off-ramp?
Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid said that with his announcement, Trump may have opened a potential off-ramp on the war on Iran.
“This is the breaking news that everybody in the region and beyond has been waiting for, that Donald Trump, who declared this war unilaterally without legal backing, can end it unilaterally without any preconditions,” he said.
Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher said it seems Trump might be looking for an off-ramp. “He has set a five-day deadline. We will see where the talks go at that point. But remember, Donald Trump’s deadlines tend to be elastic. They have been in the past, and it could well be, come Friday, there won’t be a resolution to this question.”
Context: Analysis of Trump’s announcement and potential resolution to the war effort against Iran.
Fact Check: Analysts speculate on the impact of Trump’s announcement on the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Initiative by countries in the Middle East
Iran had previously said that if Trump carries out his threat to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants, it would completely shut down the strait in retaliation. Tehran also pledged to attack energy facilities in Israel and Gulf countries.
Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a spike in global oil prices and a shortage of cooking gas in Asian countries. Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, on Monday warned that the situation in the Middle East is “very severe” and is worse than the two energy crises of the 1970s and the fallout of the Ukraine war put together.
On Monday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded that if Washington went ahead with Trump’s threat, Iran would target power plants in all regions that supply electricity to US bases “as well as the economic, industrial and energy infrastructures in which Americans have shares”.
In addition, the Defence Council warned that any attack on Iran’s southern coast or islands would prompt the laying of sea mines that would sever Gulf shipping routes, according to state media.
Al Jazeera’s Bin Javaid, citing conversations with diplomats, said even during the Eid holiday, “multiple countries at different levels have been holding conversations with embassies or directly with the White House.”
“People have told us they have been telling Trump that this process of escalation does not bode well for Iran or for Israel,” he reported.
“There are multiple factors to take into account. One is the threat Trump issued about hitting power plants and energy infrastructure and Iran’s response in a tit-for-tat escalation.”
