Trump orders 5-day pause on Iran energy strikes after talks

2026-03-23 - 12:50

US President Donald Trump declared Monday that he has directed the Department of Defense to suspend all military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure for a five-day period, following what he described as “very good and productive” conversations between Washington and Tehran. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the talks, which have taken place over the past two days, focused on achieving “a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.” The president noted that the “tenor and tone” of the discussions were “in-depth, detailed, and constructive,” with further dialogue scheduled throughout the week. He added that the pause remains contingent on the success of these ongoing meetings. The announcement represents the first significant diplomatic opening since the US and Israel launched a joint military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28, a conflict that has claimed more than 1,340 lives, including Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Diplomatic window amid regional turmoil The temporary halt in strikes on Iranian energy assets comes as the conflict has increasingly disrupted global energy markets, with attacks on oil facilities and shipping lanes in the Gulf driving up prices. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes against Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing infrastructure damage and aviation disruptions. The five-day pause offers a potential off-ramp from a war that has already drawn in multiple nations and threatened to destabilize the broader Middle East. Türkiye’s position and regional stability Türkiye, which has consistently called for restraint and diplomatic solutions throughout the crisis, views the development with cautious optimism. Ankara has maintained communication channels with all parties and advocated for de-escalation, emphasizing that further conflict would harm regional stability and Turkey’s own security and economic interests. While the pause is temporary, it marks a rare moment of direct US-Iran engagement since hostilities erupted, raising hopes that a negotiated path may still be possible amid the broader devastation.