In a significant de-escalation, President Donald Trump announced Monday (March 23, 2026) that the United States would pause “any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure” for five days, citing “very good and productive conversations” with Tehran over the past two days. The announcement comes just 24 hours after Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating strikes on its energy infrastructure, including power plants.
The Diplomatic Breakthrough
In a post on Truth Social early Monday morning, Trump wrote: “Over the past two days, the United States and Iran have had very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East. These talks have been in depth, detailed, and constructive in nature, and will continue throughout the week.”
The President added: “As a direct result of these conversations, I have directed American forces to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, beginning immediately. This pause will allow negotiations to continue in good faith.”
The White House later confirmed that back-channel negotiations had been ongoing through intermediaries, including Oman and Switzerland, with direct communication established in the past 48 hours. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly in direct contact with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
What Changed Trump’s Mind?
Just yesterday, Trump had issued one of his most stark ultimatums yet, threatening to “obliterate” Iranian power infrastructure if the