President Donald Trump holds up two Sharpie pens as he speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, March 26, 23036, in Washington. Photo: AP.
Trump says strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure will be paused for 10 days, as markets react to rising tensions and the US-Israeli aggression on the country continues.
US President Donald Trump announced he is temporarily suspending attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure for 10 days, describing ongoing talks with Tehran as “going very well.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “As per Iranian Government request… I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time.”
He added: “Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.”
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump says that per the Iranian Government's request he is PAUSING energy plant destruction by 10 days to April 6
HUGE progress being made 🔥
"Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are… pic.twitter.com/fcFeS905cq
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 26, 2026
The announcement came as financial markets reacted sharply to rising geopolitical risk, with key US indices falling and oil prices climbing amid fears of prolonged disruption to global energy supplies.
Markets reel as Trump “pauses” Iran energy attacks
Financial markets showed deepening anxiety over the war’s trajectory. The Nasdaq composite fell about 2%, entering correction territory, more than 10% below its recent high, while the Dow industrials dropped more than 400 points and the S&P 500 lost 1.5%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed down 2.4% at 21,408, while the S&P 500 settled 1.7% lower at 6,477.
Oil prices surged in response to fading hopes for a quick resolution. Brent crude futures closed at $101.89 a barrel, up 4.8%, after rising as high as $107 earlier in the session, while West Texas Intermediate climbed to $94.48.
Goldman Sachs raised its 2026 oil price forecasts, projecting Brent to average $85 per barrel for the year, up from a previous estimate of $77, warning that prices could spike to $200 in a severe disruption scenario.
The 10-year Treasury yield jumped to 4.42% from 4.33% late Wednesday as investors priced in persistent inflation risks, while gold fell more than 3% amid a broader sell-off across asset classes
Not an isolated incident
On March 23, 2026, Trump alleged Washington and Tehran were moving toward a potential agreement, claiming the two sides had “major points of agreement” after he ordered a “temporary pause” in US strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, written in all caps, Trump said: “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.”
He also announced that he had directed the Department of War to halt further “military action” for a limited period, writing: “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.”
Speaking to reporters in Florida, Trump insisted Iran was seeking an agreement, stating that Iranian officials wanted “to make a deal” and that US envoys had been in contact with what he described as a “respected” Iranian figure, though not Iranian Leader Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei. He added that any potential deal would require Iran to surrender its enriched uranium stockpile.
He further suggested that the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened quickly if a deal is reached, saying, “If a deal happens, it’s a great start for Iran and the region,” while acknowledging he could not guarantee an agreement.
Trump also claimed that Iranian officials initiated contact, saying they had “called him for talks and not the other way round.”
Earlier, in an interview with Fox Business Network, he reiterated that Tehran was eager for a deal and suggested an agreement could be reached within five days. He said his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been involved in discussions as recently as Sunday night.
On this issue, an Iranian Security Source told Al Mayadeen on Wednesday that the headline for current events, especially Trump’s 5-day deadline, is new Trump trickery.
Wider context
Trump's 5-day pause on March 23 followed a 48-hour ultimatum on March 21. At the time, the US President warned Tehran that failure to open the Strait of Hormuz could destroy Iran’s power infrastructure. The ultimatum marked a sharp escalation in rhetoric that preceded a wave of joint US-Israeli aggression.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said: "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! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Financial markets responded positively early on Monday after Trump said that Washington and Tehran had engaged in “very good” talks. Oil prices, already highly volatile since Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched aggression against Iran, fell sharply in response.
However, Iranian officials rejected the claim that any talks had taken place between the two sides.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated on Monday that “no negotiations have been held with the US”, accusing Trump of attempting to “manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped”.
Simultaneously, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters warned it will target US and Israeli energy infrastructure, information technology systems, and water desalination plants if Iran’s own energy facilities are attacked, signaling a major escalation in the regional confrontation.
Iran Rejects US Proposal, Lays Out Five Conditions for Ending Imposed War: Source To Press TV
Iran submits response to US plan, sets terms for war’s end: Tasnim
Earlier today, an informed source told Tasnim that Iran has delivered its response to a 15-point proposal put forward by the United States, transmitting its position through intermediaries on Wednesday night. Tehran is now awaiting a reply.
According to the source, Iran’s response sets out a series of conditions tied to any potential end to the war. These include an immediate halt to assassination operations, the establishment of binding guarantees to prevent a renewed aggression, and the provision of clearly defined compensation and reparations. The response also calls for a comprehensive cessation of hostilities across all fronts, extending to all resistance groups involved in the confrontation throughout the region.
The source further stressed that Iran considers its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz to be a natural and legal right that will remain in place. This control, the source indicated, is viewed as a mechanism to ensure the implementation of any commitments made by the other side and must be formally acknowledged.
These positions, the source added, are separate from the demands previously raised during the second round of nuclear negotiations held in Geneva shortly before the US-Israeli war that began in February.
The source also cast doubt on Washington’s stated intentions regarding negotiations, describing them as part of a “third deception” effort. According to the source, the United States is pursuing multiple objectives under the cover of diplomacy: presenting a peaceful image to the international community, maintaining lower global oil prices, and gaining time to prepare for further military aggressions, including a potential ground operation in southern Iran.
Reflecting on previous engagements, the source said Iran now holds “complete doubts” about the United States’ willingness to negotiate in good faith. The source argued that both during the 12-day war in June 2025 and the current war, the United States initiated hostilities while talks were ongoing, suggesting that renewed diplomatic efforts may similarly serve as a pretext for further escalation. Analysts suggest that were no need to call on Iran to admit a certain reality, if, as the name suggests, it was a reality in the first place.
War exposes US limits
Iran’s response comes as the aggression on the country enters its fourth week, after the United States and “Israel” launched coordinated attacks targeting the country’s leadership, civilian infrastructure, and military capabilities, prompting sustained Iranian retaliatory operations across the region.
The consequences of this aggression have extended far beyond the battlefield. Disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery through which roughly a fifth of global oil and LNG supplies pass, have not only sent shockwaves through energy markets but also exposed the limits of US power in the region.
Despite its military presence, Washington has struggled to secure a chokepoint central to the global economy following its aggression, while Iran has shown it can impose costs that reverberate through oil prices, inflation, financial markets, and allied capitals, undermining the image of a US-led order able to guarantee stability.
Amid these developments, the United States has been working at countering Iran’s retaliation following the aggression and shaping the war’s outcome on terms favorable to Washington to no avail.
Tehran has categorically rejected negotiating under such conditions. Iranian officials say recent US proposals, including a reported multi-point plan conveyed through intermediaries, are unrealistic and designed to force strategic concessions while the war continues.
According to Tehran officials, Washington and “Israel”, having initiated the aggression, have no standing to dictate its conclusion. Authorities insist the war will end only on Iran’s terms, including a full cessation of aggression, guarantees against renewed attacks, and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty.
Trump threatens Iran
The White House openly threatened further escalation against Iran, warning that the US is prepared to intensify its attacks unless Tehran accepts Washington’s terms.
“The President’s preference is always peace. There does not need to be any more death and destruction. But if Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily … President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before,” Leavitt told reporters.
Iran’s continued retaliatory strikes, however, contradict Washington’s claim of “defeat,” with officials announcing the 82nd wave of retaliatory strikes targeting US and Israeli assets across the region, thus indicating that Tehran’s operational capacity remains intact.
