'No direct talks, buying time': What Iran has said on Trump's claims

Conflicting narratives person emerged betwixt the United States and Iran aft President Donald Trump claimed "very good" and "productive" talks with Tehran aft announcing a impermanent intermission successful planned strikes connected the region's vigor infrastructure.

However, Iranian authorities denied immoderate nonstop negotiations, accusing Washington of utilizing diplomacy arsenic a screen to "buy time" for subject action.Speaking to reporters earlier boarding Air Force One, Trump reiterated that the United States and Iran were making important advancement toward a deal. "We person large constituent of agreement; I would accidental astir each points of agreement," helium said, adding, "they privation precise overmuch to marque a deal; we'd similar to marque a woody too."

He besides revealed that US officials were successful interaction with "a apical person" successful Iran, though not the ultimate leader, saying, "I can't sanction the person… due to the fact that I don't privation him to beryllium killed."

Trump suggested a imaginable breakthrough could impact Iran abandoning its atomic weapons ambitions successful speech for peace, and indicated further talks were expected soon. "We're going to get unneurotic today, by astir apt phone," helium added.

Strike menace paused for 5 days

Trump's remarks came aft successful the day, helium announced a impermanent halt to planned US strikes connected Iran’s vigor infrastructure, including powerfulness plants, for a five-day window.Sharing a station connected Truth Social, Trump said Washington and Tehran had held "productive conversations" implicit the past 2 days aimed astatine "a implicit and full resolution" of hostilities successful the Middle East.

Citing the talks, Trump said helium had directed the Pentagon to "postpone immoderate and each subject strikes against Iranian powerfulness plants and vigor infrastructure for a 5 time period, taxable to the occurrence of the ongoing meetings."He added that the antecedently undisclosed US-Iran discussions would "continue passim the week." The announcement came conscionable up of a Monday nighttime ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz shipping way oregon look threats.Earlier connected Saturday, Trump had threatened to "obliterate" Iran’s powerfulness infrastructure if Tehran failed to reopen the strategically captious Strait of Hormuz, done which astir a 5th of planetary lipid proviso passes.

Iran denies talks, calls it "psychological warfare"

Iran, however, rejected Trump’s claims outright.According to Iranian authorities media citing the overseas ministry, the US determination to hold strikes was "part of efforts to little vigor prices and bargain clip for the implementation of his subject plans." Dismissing the thought of negotiations, the ministry said, "No negotiations person taken spot and nary are underway." It added that portion "initiatives from determination countries to trim tensions" had been proposed, Tehran’s effect remained consistent: "we are not the enactment that started this war, and each specified requests indispensable beryllium referred to Washington." Iranian outlets portrayed the US presumption arsenic a retreat nether pressure. Tasnim quality bureau reported, "Since the commencement of the war, messages person been sent to Tehran by immoderate mediators, but Iran’s wide effect has been that it volition proceed its defence until the required level of deterrence is achieved." "With this benignant of intelligence warfare, neither the Strait of Hormuz volition instrumentality to prewar conditions nor volition calm instrumentality to vigor markets," it added.

Strikes proceed contempt diplomatic signals

Even arsenic diplomatic signals emerged, subject enactment continued connected the ground.Shortly aft Trump announced a intermission connected strikes, the Israeli subject said it was carrying retired different question of attacks connected targets successful Tehran.Associated Press journalists reported proceeding explosions astatine aggregate locations crossed the Iranian superior connected Monday afternoon, though it was not instantly wide what had been hit. Later successful the day, much blasts were reported successful the city, with nary confirmed details connected the targets.Meanwhile, Iran launched 2 missiles and 36 drones towards Bahrain implicit the past 24 hours, according to the country’s Defence Ministry.Tehran has stepped up its retaliation to US-Israeli strikes by disrupting postulation done the Strait of Hormuz, a way that carries astir a 5th of planetary crude, portion besides targeting vigor facilities, US embassies crossed the Gulf, and sites successful Israel.

Oil markets plaything sharply

The uncertainty triggered crisp movements successful planetary lipid markets.

Prices, which had surged supra $100 per tube amid fears of proviso disruption done the Strait of Hormuz, fell steeply aft Trump’s announcement.Brent crude dropped much than 15%, concisely slipping beneath $100 earlier stabilising later. The volatility reflects the centrality of the Strait to planetary vigor flows, with disruptions already raising fears of a prolonged proviso shock.

'No state volition beryllium immune to the effects'

Energy experts person cautioned that a prolonged disruption could trigger a situation worse than past lipid shocks, fixed the standard of proviso astatine risk.The International Energy Agency (IEA) had earlier warned that the ongoing struggle has triggered a planetary vigor crisis.Speaking astatine the National Press Club successful Australia, IEA main Fatih Birol said, "This situation arsenic things basal is present 2 lipid crises and 1 state clang enactment each together."He cautioned that the planetary system faces superior risks, adding, "The planetary system is facing a major, large menace today, and I precise overmuch anticipation that this contented volition beryllium resolved arsenic soon arsenic possible."Birol further warned that "no state volition beryllium immune to the effects of this situation if it continues to spell successful this direction," stressing the request for coordinated planetary action.The standoff has placed the Strait of Hormuz astatine the bosom of the conflict, with some subject escalation and diplomatic manoeuvring centred astir the captious waterway.According to Reuters, the conflict, which began connected February 28 with US-Israeli strikes connected Iran, has killed much than 2,000 radical and roiled planetary markets, pushing up substance prices and fuelling ostentation concerns portion straining Western alliances.Concerns had besides mounted implicit imaginable strikes connected Gulf energy grids, which could disrupt desalination systems captious for drinking h2o supply, further unsettling vigor markets.