President Donald Trump said he is delaying strikes on Iranian power plants for five days to allow talks between Washington and Tehran to progress. 

“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,” the President posted on Truth Social early Monday. 

He added, “BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WHICH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, 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.”

On Saturday, Trump threatened to attack Iran’s power plants if Tehran did not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Iran threatened to respond by targeting civilian infrastructure across the Middle East and completely closing the Strait of Hormuz. 

The President’s statement is the latest in a series of contradictory remarks in which Trump has waffled between ending and escalating the conflict. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed that the President may attempt to “escalate to de-escalate.”

Tehran denied that there was any ongoing diplomacy with Washington. Following the surprise US and Israeli attack on Iran that ignited a region-wide war, Tehran has ruled out agreeing to a ceasefire or negotiations with the US. 

Trump later told the press that the US was talking with a “top person” in Iran, but did not want to disclose their idenity out of concern they would be killed. He added that the US has not had any contract with Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

BREAKING: REPORTER: Who is Steve Witkoff speaking with in Iran?

TRUMP: A top person

REPORTER: Who is it?

TRUMP: I can’t. I don’t want them to be killedpic.twitter.com/Qn99NDTQF0

— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) March 23, 2026

Axios reporter Barak Ravid said he was informed by an Israeli source that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner have spoken with the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

🚨An Israeli official told me that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are negotiating with the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf https://t.co/hPxezRUbKy

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) March 23, 2026