U.S. President Donald Trump postponed by 10 more days the schedule to strike Iran's power plants and energy facilities. By accepting Iran's request and securing additional time for talks, the risk of a full-scale war in the Middle East has temporarily eased.
On the 26th (local time), President Trump said on the social media platform Truth Social that "in accordance with a request from the Iranian government, we will suspend for 10 days the period to destroy energy power plants until 8 p.m. on Apr. 6, Eastern time." He added, "Talks are ongoing and, contrary to incorrect reporting including from the fake news media, they are going very well." This is a follow-up postponement after he released a first five-day strike delay on the 23rd.
In the meantime, the U.S. military had increased its forces in the Middle East, including the Army's elite airborne units, showing moves to prepare various last-resort strike operations including ground warfare. But with this decision to delay the attack, armed clashes have been averted for at least 10 days.
The United States and Iran are negotiating behind the scenes, but they are still reported to have major differences over whether to open the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a large share of the world's seaborne crude shipments. The Strait of Hormuz is the most critical chokepoint for Middle Eastern oil-producing countries to export crude; if it is blocked, the global energy market takes a major hit.
On the 24th, at the swearing-in ceremony for Homeland Security Minister Markwayne Mullin, President Trump first said that Iran had given the United States a "big energy-related gift." At a White House Cabinet meeting that day, he specified that the gift was "allowing 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz." By opening passage through the strait, Iran signaled sincerity in negotiations. The U.S. Treasury Department is expected to soon launch a government insurance program for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The intent is to increase ship traffic in and around the strait and ratchet up pressure on Iran. President Trump went on to say at the White House Cabinet meeting, "Iran are terrible warriors but great negotiators," adding, "They are yearning to reach a deal."
Behind the conciliatory moves, the United States is also toying with tough military and economic sanctions. Asked by reporters about seizing control over Iran's oil, President Trump, citing the Venezuela case, said it was "one of the options." Earlier, the United States extradited Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to the United States, then executed a plan to take over Venezuelan crude blocked from export, sell it on Venezuela's behalf, and even decide directly how to use the revenue. If the war drags on, the same approach could be applied to Iran.
Experts assessed that President Trump is at a critical crossroads between escalation and a truce, using the opening of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage. Former U.S. defense secretary Leon Panetta said in an interview with the Guardian that "President Trump faces a tough choice over whether to opt for escalation to open the strait or sit down at a truce negotiating table," adding, "If a truce is not achieved at this point, the prior military successes will mean nothing." He added, "As long as the gun barrel of the Strait of Hormuz is pointed at the head, it will be extremely difficult to secure a truce on the terms the United States wants."