Iran war: Iran on Monday claimed that US President Donald Trump has “backed down again” after he hinted at a potential cessation in hostilities in Middle East, and announced a 5-day pause in attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, revealing that the US and Iran have been holding talks over the past two days.
Why Iran said Trump has ‘backed down’?
“Trump has backed down again!” Iranian state media posted on X, while quoting a portion of Trump’s social post in which the US president “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.”
Iran’s state-run PressTV, citing an Iranian source, said no one from Tehran, directly or indirectly, was or is in contact with Donald Trump, and claimed that the US president “backed down” after Iran warned that it would strike power plants across the region in retaliation.
“An Iranian source says there was no contact—whether direct or indirect— with Trump, adding he backed down after being warned their targets would include power plants across West Asia,” PressTV stated.
US and Iran holding talks, Trump claims
Earlier in the day, Donald Trump revealed in a Truth Social post that the United States and Iran have had “very good and productive” talks over the last two days for a “complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.”
“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 wrote in his signature all-caps style.
Trump announces 5-day pause on strikes
Trump said the “in-depth, detailed, and constructive conversations” will continue through the week, and said he has directed the war department to pause military strikes on Iranian energy sites for five days, citing the “tenor and tone” of talks between the Washington and Tehran.
“Based on the tenor and tone of these in-depth, detailed, and constructive conversations, which 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,” Trump added.
Trump backtracks after Hormuz ultimatum
Monday’s remarks are a radical shift from the warning Trump had issued to Iran a day earlier, in which he had warned Tehran to “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or the US would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure.
“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 had said in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
Iran’s threatens strikes on Gulf power plants
In response, Iran had warned that any attack on Iranian power plants or infrastructure would invite retaliatory strikes on regional energy facilities.
A written statement issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on Monday which was read out on Iranian state TV reiterated the warning that power plants in the Middle East will be targeted if Trump goes through with his threat.
“What we have done is to announce our decision that if the power plants are attacked, Iran will retaliate by targeting the power plants of the occupying regime and the power plants of regional countries that supply electricity to US bases, as well as the economic, industrial and energy infrastructures in which Americans have shares,” the statement said.
“Do not doubt that we will do this,” it added.
