US President Donald Trump on Monday said the United States and Iran have held “very good and productive” talks over the past two days and announced a five-day pause on planned military strikes, signalling a possible de-escalation in the ongoing conflict.In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “I am please 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. Based on the tenor and tone of these in depth, detailed, and constructive conversations, witch 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”Meanwhile, Iranian embassy in Kabaul said, “Trump backs down from attacking energy infrastructures after iran’s firm warning.”The announcement comes a day after Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, warning of strikes on its energy infrastructure if Tehran failed to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.“If Iran doesn’t fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first!” Trump said earlier.Following the ultimatum, Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all shipping except vessels linked to its “enemies,” referring to the United States and Israel.“We are ready to cooperate with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to enhance maritime safety and protect seafarers in the Gulf. Ships not linked to Iran’s ‘enemies’ can transit the strait by coordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran,” Iran’s permanent representative to the IMO, Ali Mousavi, was quoted as saying.“Diplomacy remains Iran’s priority. However, a complete cessation of aggression, along with the rebuilding of mutual trust and confidence, is essential. The Israeli and US attacks against Iran are at the root of the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.The conflict has intensified in recent weeks, with Iran disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response to joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28. Tehran has also launched attacks on Israeli territory and targeted Gulf states hosting US military bases.Iran’s Unified Combatant Command has warned that any attack on its energy infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes across the region. According to Iranian media, it said that if Iran’s facilities are targeted, “all energy infrastructures belonging to the U.S. in the region will be targeted.”The situation has entered a more volatile phase, with Israel confirming that Iran has deployed long-range missiles for the first time. Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said two ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000 kilometres were launched towards the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.“These missiles are not intended to strike Israel. Their range reaches European capitals – Berlin, Paris, and Rome are all within direct threat range,” Zamir said.The conflict has resulted in rising casualties, with more than 2,000 people reported killed in Iran since US and Israeli strikes began, while Iranian attacks have claimed at least 15 lives in Israel. Recent missile strikes hit southern Israeli cities including Dimona and Arad, injuring several civilians.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country would continue its military operations, stating, “This has been a very difficult evening in the battle for our future.”“We are determined to continue striking our enemies on all fronts,” he added.
