Finance
Trump Postpones Military Strikes on Iranian Power Plants
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 23, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 23, 2026
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President Trump announced he will delay military strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure for five days to allow ongoing, “good and productive” talks with Iran to continue.
Trump backs down on strikes on Iran's power network, says US and Tehran holding talks
US-Iran Tensions and Diplomatic Developments
Trump's Decision on Iran's Power Network
WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump backed down on targeting Iran's power network on Monday, saying the U.S. and Iran have held constructive talks and that he would postpone any strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure.
Iran's Threats and US Response
Trump's statement came after Iran threatened to attack Israel's power plants and those supplying U.S. bases across the Gulf region if the U.S. targets Iran's power network.
Ongoing Conversations and Conflicting Reports
Conversations with Iran will continue throughout the week, Trump said in a social media post. However, Iran's Fars news agency, citing a source, said there are no direct or indirect communications with the United States.
The White House did not respond to questions about the content of the talks, who participated or where they were held.
Market Reaction to US-Iran Developments
The reaction from markets was swift and marked: Brent crude oil futures fell sharply, the dollar fell against other major currencies, stock markets rallied and government borrowing costs fell back.
Details of the US-Iran Talks
The United States and 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 in a post on Truth Social.
"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."
Previous Warnings and Deadlines
On Saturday, Trump warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed if Tehran failed to "fully open" the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours. Trump set a deadline of around 7:44 p.m. EDT (2344 GMT) on Monday.
Iranian attacks have effectively closed the Strait, which carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas.
Wider Impact of the Conflict
More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28, which has upended markets, driven up fuel costs, fuelled global inflation fears and convulsed the postwar Western alliance.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu, Susan Heavey and Gram Slattery; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Key Takeaways
- •Trump’s decision comes after Iran threatened to strike Israel’s power plants and those supplying U.S. bases if U.S. targets Iranian energy facilities (apnews.com).
- •The postponement follows escalating regional tensions, including joint U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran’s South Pars gas field and Kharg Island, raising global energy security concerns (en.wikipedia.org).
- •The brief pause underscores a fragile window for diplomacy amid threats targeting vital infrastructure and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz (en.wikipedia.org)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Trump postpones military strikes on Iranian power plants
1Why did President Trump postpone military strikes on Iran?
President Trump postponed the strikes following productive conversations with Iran and ongoing diplomatic discussions.
2How long is the postponement of US military strikes on Iran?
The postponement is for a period of five days, subject to the outcome of ongoing meetings and discussions with Iran.
3What was Iran's response to US threats against its power network?
Iran threatened to attack Israeli power plants and those supplying US bases in the Gulf if the US targeted Iran's power network.
4Are discussions between the US and Iran continuing?
Yes, conversations and negotiations between the US and Iran will continue throughout the week.
