Thursday, April 23, 2026

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Trump halts Iran energy strikes, citing ‘productive conversations’

US President Donald Trump has ordered a temporary halt to planned strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, saying the decision follows what he described as “productive conversations” with Tehran, despite Iranian officials rejecting that any such talks occurred.

Trump confirmed he had directed the Department of War to pause attacks on Iranian power facilities for five days, framing the move as part of a potential de-escalation effort. “We’ve had very good, very productive conversations,” he said, indicating the discussions influenced his decision to stand down planned strikes.

However, Iranian media and officials have denied any engagement with Washington, directly contradicting Trump’s account and casting doubt over the basis for the pause.



The decision comes after a sharp escalation over the weekend, when Trump warned of imminent strikes on Iran’s energy sector unless Tehran eased threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by identifying potential targets across regional energy infrastructure, signalling readiness to retaliate.

Despite the pause, the broader conflict remains active. Iran has continued to control access through the key shipping corridor since late February, disrupting a route responsible for roughly one-fifth of global oil flows and fuelling concerns over prolonged supply instability.

Markets reacted quickly to signs of a potential slowdown in hostilities, with oil prices dropping and equities rebounding following Trump’s announcement.

The halt in strikes marks a significant, if contested, shift in the trajectory of the conflict, with uncertainty persisting over whether any diplomatic channel between Washington and Tehran is actually in play.

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18 COMMENTS

  1. Hal Turner says: Call me cynical, but Trump’s “5 days” puts us to this Friday . . . when markets close.

    That gives the incoming US Marines the 5 or so days they need to get into position, so when the weekend arrives, massive amphibious landing to grab Kharg Island, during which I fear we will suffer a huge death toll, which will be rightly seen as a gigantic screw-up, while markets are all safely closed to limit the financial chaos until Monday.

    https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/component/content/article/trump-postpones-attacking-iran-electric-grid-says-negotiations-going-well?catid=17&Itemid=101

    • Trump isn’t lying this is mad!
      IRGC has a history of denying negotiations to avoid looking weak to their hardline supporters, especially after losing their top leadership Khamenei

  2. The last two times the two sides were talking they attacked Iran! Right in the middle of negotiations! Not once, but TWICE! The US is insane, Trump, Witkoff and Kushner all deranged liars who have lined their pockets with billlions! No sane person would deal with the Epstein regime ever again!

    • We live in a Freak Show where the man in charge of the world’s most powerful military threatens WW3 in FULL CAPS on a social media platform no one uses. Let that sink in.

  3. On the 27-th of February Iran has had reached an agreement with he US . All that was needed was the paper documents to be signed i.e technical details and this would be done next week.
    This next week never came because insidious U.S and Israel attacked early Saturday 28-th of February.
    This behavior is so despicable that Iran does not want any ‘negotiations’ with moral monsters like this. Totally insane.
    By the way that was actually easily predictable since they did exactly the same in June 2025. When Trump bombed Iran with B2 bombers . Precisely the same criminal pattern.
    The U.S. and Israel can not be trusted. They have demonstrated this so many times. The Epstein Click deserves only one thing: Life in Prison.
    Just look at the past of the Great Late U.S. :
    https://crimesoftheusgovernment.wordpress.com/
    From the Trail of Tears to the Attack on Iran. Pity that nope they are nukes everywhere since these two criminal regimes are hiding behind their nukes. Their crimes or atrocities are unbelievable.
    So every honor every praise to the brave people of Iran who are standing up to this moral monsters.

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