Just in: Trump calls off strikes on Iran

By Tolulope Oke

US President Donald Trump has announced the postponement of threatened strikes on Iranian power plants following what he described as “very good and productive conversations” with Iranian officials aimed at a “complete and total resolution” of hostilities in the Middle East.

In a post on his TruthSocial account, Trump said the discussions over the last two days were “in depth, detailed, and constructive” and instructed the Department of War to hold off on any military action against Iran’s energy infrastructure for a five-day period, pending the outcome of ongoing talks.

This announcement comes days after Trump had given Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that failure to do so would trigger attacks on Iranian power facilities. The Strait has been a major flashpoint affecting global oil and gas markets.

Trump’s statement marks his most conciliatory message since the conflict began, though it leaves many questions unanswered. The exact scope of the talks has not been confirmed by Iranian officials. Reports from Iran’s Fars News Agency quoted an unnamed source saying there has been “no direct or indirect contact with Trump” and suggested the US president “backed down” after threats to strike.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) indicated that it expects “several more weeks of fighting” against Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon, highlighting ongoing regional instability.

The postponement of strikes triggered immediate financial market reactions. Brent crude fell 13 percent to about $96 a barrel, while UK gas prices dropped from 159p a therm to 139p. The FTSE 100 index rebounded by 0.5 percent after earlier losses, and UK 10-year government bond yields fell to 4.89 percent.

Global leaders have been closely monitoring the situation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly spoke with Trump over the weekend, agreeing that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is “essential to resume global shipping.”

Trump is currently in Florida but is scheduled to travel to Memphis to deliver a speech focused on domestic crime-fighting efforts. Analysts, however, say international attention remains fixed on the Middle East and the implications of his latest statement for both diplomacy and regional security.