President Trump instructed the Pentagon to delay potential attacks on Iranian facilities following reported progress in negotiations facilitated by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
US Shifts Stance on Iran
President Donald Trump announced on Monday via Truth Social that he had directed the Department of Defense to postpone any American attacks on Iranian power plants. He justified this decision by citing progress in negotiations led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
“Very Good and Productive” Discussions
Trump stated in a capitalized post that he had engaged in “very good and productive” conversations with Iran over the past two days regarding a “total solution” to conflicts in the Middle East.
He wrote that, based on the “tone of these deep, detailed and constructive conversations” which will continue throughout the week, he instructed the Department of Defense to delay attacks on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, contingent on the successful continuation of meetings and discussions.
Trump Claims Iranian Desire for a Deal
Following his initial post, Trump told Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo that Iran “very much wants to make a deal” and that an agreement could potentially be reached even sooner than five days. When questioned about Iran’s denial of these talks, he stated he “doesn’t know what they’re talking about,” noting the last contact occurred Sunday evening with his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff representing the US. He added that receiving information in Iran is difficult due to US destruction of Iranian infrastructure.
Intensive Negotiations and Potential Regime Change
In a separate interview with CNBC, Trump emphasized his own desire for an agreement with Iran, describing the talks as “intense.” He also suggested the situation in Iran could be considered a “regime change” due to shifts in leadership.
Previous Threat of Attack
On Saturday, Trump warned that Iranian power plants would be targeted if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping within 48 hours, a deadline that passed overnight from Monday to Tuesday Polish time.
Administration Officials Backed Trump’s Threat
As recently as Sunday, administration officials, including Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz, reaffirmed Trump’s threats, even raising the possibility of strikes on the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
Oman Mediates
Shortly before Trump’s post, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who previously mediated US-Iran talks, wrote on X that his country was “intensively working on implementing solutions to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Opposition Concerns and UN Warning
Trump’s announcement sparked concerns, including from Iranian opposition activists in exile. Masih Alinejad appealed to Trump to cancel the plans, arguing they would only harm ordinary Iranians and not lead to regime change in Tehran. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that such strikes could constitute war crimes, a claim Trump previously countered by stating such attacks would prevent the country’s reconstruction after a war.
Oil Prices Fall
In response to Trump’s Monday post, oil prices significantly decreased. Brent crude fell from $108 to $96 per barrel within minutes, before rebounding to $101.