President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States has postponed planned military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure for five days, citing “very good and productive conversations” with Tehran over the past 48 hours.
The announcement comes as the United States and Israel are currently engaged in active military conflict with Iran, now in its fourth week.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had instructed the Department of War to hold off on any strikes as diplomatic discussions continue.
“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,” Trump wrote.
The announcement marks a sharp reversal from Friday, when the president issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that Iran fully open the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants. That ultimatum was set to expire Monday.
Trump characterized the ongoing engagement as “online diplomacy,” though details of who is participating in the discussions and through what channels remain unclear. The White House has not yet released an official statement beyond the president’s social media posts.
The administration had, in recent days, outlined five specific military objectives related to degrading Iranian capabilities. Iranian officials had responded defiantly to the earlier ultimatum, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps releasing a video taunting Trump with his own Apprentice catchphrase: “You’re fired.”
In the lead-up to Monday’s announcement, Iranian military leaders warned that any U.S. strike on Iranian power plants would trigger a swift and devastating response. Officials threatened to “irreversibly destroy” key infrastructure across the Middle East and impose a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes—until Iranian facilities were rebuilt.
Trump indicated that conversations will continue throughout the week, with the five-day pause in military action contingent on “the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”
The development raises immediate questions about whether the administration is shifting toward a diplomatic resolution after days of escalating rhetoric, or whether the pause simply provides additional time for negotiations before potential military action.
