President Trump announced Monday that the US will not attack any part of Iran’s power and energy infrastructure for five days after Washington and Tehran had engaged in “very good and productive talks” over the weekend about ending the three-week-old war.
“I am please [sic] 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, without elaborating.
“Based on the tenor and tone of these in-depth, detailed and constructive conversations, witch [sic] will continue throughout the week, I have instructed the Department of War to postone 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.”
The announcement caused oil prices to plummet ahead of trading hours, with Brent crude dropping from nearly $109 per barrel to below $94 per barrel before rebounding to above $97.
The president had given Iran 48 hours to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz as of Saturday evening, vowing that if the theocratic regime did not, “the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”
Trump’s announcement also marked the first official confirmation of any discussions about wrapping up Operation Epic Fury, which began Feb. 28 and which the president initially suggested could last about “four weeks or so,” which would place March 28 as the end date for combat operations.
Trump had previously said that while Iran was interested in discussing a cease-fire after Tehran’s leadership was decimated, he was not.
“I don’t want to do a cease-fire. You know, you don’t do a cease-fire when you’re literally obliterating the other side,” the president told reporters as he left the White House Friday for a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
“From a military standpoint, all they’re doing is clogging up the strait. But from a military standpoint, they’re finished.”
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