Trump rebuffs Iran’s denial that Tehran-Washington talks took place
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More news: US President Donald Trump said that US officials are in talks with a “top” Iranian leader and that additional discussions are due to be held later today.
“We’ll see where they lead,” Trump told reporters in Florida, adding that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, began the talks Sunday.
He said that the two countries have “major points of agreement” and that “They want very much to make a deal. We’d like to make a deal too.”
Addressing denials from Iranian state media that the talks had taken place, Trump suggested there were communication problems in Iran: “Perhaps that hasn’t been conveyed”.
After Trump announced a postponement of US strikes against Iranian energy targets for five days after “productive conversations” with Iran over the weekend, Iranian state media denied that any such conversations had occurred.
Citing an anonymous Iranian source, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported: “There is no direct or indirect communication with Trump…He retreated after hearing that our targets would be all power plants in West Asia.”
Tasnim News, another Iranian agency also reported that there have been no talks between Tehran and the US, adding that Trump’s Truth Social statement amounts to “psychological warfare.”
Trump postpones strikes on Iran energy targets after ‘productive’ talks
The news: US President Donald Trump said that the US military will postpone further strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure for five days, after “productive conversations” between Tehran and Washington over the past two days.
The context: Earlier on Monday, Iran had warned that it would lay mines throughout the Persian Guld if its coasts or islands came under attack, a threat which followed Trump’s 48 hour ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz by Monday evening Washington time (Tuesday morning AEDT).
“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,” wrote Trump in a post on his Truth Social account on Monday.
“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, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions,” he wrote.
The numbers: Markets shot higher in reaction to the comments, with Dow Futures jumping 1,100 points or 2.6%, while S&P 500 future and Nasdaq 100 futures also added over 2.7%.
Crude oil prices plummeted, with West Texas Intermediate futures falling over 9% to below USD90 per barrel, while the international benchmark Brent fell more than 13% to below USD97 per barrel.
The sources: Trump Truth Social, Bloomberg, FT, WSJ
