President Donald Trump says the United States and Iran have held “productive conversations,” announcing a five-day pause on any planned military strikes against Iranian energy facilities. The move rolls back an earlier threat tied to Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz—a key global oil route.
Crude prices dropped sharply after Trump described the talks as “very good,” raising hopes of a possible de-escalation.
Tehran had earlier threatened retaliation, including strikes on energy infrastructure across the Middle East and the possible mining of the Persian Gulf if attacked.
The death toll across Iran and Lebanon has climbed into the thousands, with fresh strikes reported in Tehran. Saudi Arabia says it intercepted two ballistic missiles headed toward Riyadh.
