Trump defers Iran strike deadline amid intensified backchannel diplomacy
Washington — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had ordered a five-day postponement of potential military strikes against Iranian power plants, citing “very good and productive” talks with Tehran as Washington and its allies explore a possible resolution to the four-week conflict.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said discussions over the past two days had raised the prospect of a “complete and total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East.” Speaking later to reporters before departing Florida for Memphis, he described the talks as “very, very strong,” adding that negotiators had reached agreement on “almost all points.”
Trump said U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who had previously engaged in negotiations with Iran, held discussions with a senior Iranian official on Sunday evening and were expected to continue talks on Monday. He declined to identify the Iranian interlocutor, stating only that it was not the country’s supreme leader, and said Washington was engaging with “the man who I believe is the most respected and the leader.”
Reporter for Axios said officials from Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan had separately met Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, suggesting a coordinated mediation effort. Iran’s foreign ministry acknowledged unspecified “initiatives” aimed at reducing tensions, according to the Mehr news agency, and reiterated that Tehran expected Washington to participate directly in any negotiations as a principal party to the conflict.
The diplomatic push comes hours before a previously signaled U.S. deadline that had raised the prospect of escalation targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, a move widely seen as carrying significant regional and economic risks.
Trump said he had communicated with Israel, describing the U.S. ally as supportive of ongoing diplomatic efforts. A source briefed on Israeli planning said Washington had kept Israel informed of its contacts with Tehran and indicated that Israel was likely to mirror the U.S. pause by suspending any targeting of Iranian power plants and related infrastructure.
Trump’s comments helped ease immediate concerns of escalation, with oil prices falling and stock markets recovering as investors reassessed geopolitical risk. The prospect of a temporary halt in strikes on energy assets signaled a reduced likelihood of near-term disruption to regional supply.
Diplomatic contacts are expected to continue in the coming days as intermediaries seek to bridge remaining gaps between Washington and Tehran.
