The United States President, Donald Trump, has postponed his deadline for potential strikes on Iran’s energy facilities, stating that negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict are “going very well.”
The announcement came as Israel launched fresh airstrikes on Tehran early Friday.
The war, which has disrupted global energy markets, is approaching its second month. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that G7 nations should support efforts to reopen the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, making the remarks ahead of a meeting with the bloc’s foreign ministers in France on Friday.
Trump had originally given Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait to oil tankers, threatening to destroy its energy plants if it did not comply. He has since extended the deadline twice.
In a statement on Thursday, he said, “As per Iranian Government request… I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time.”
The Strait of Hormuz remains vital to global energy supply, with about a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passing through it during peacetime.
Despite the high stakes, Trump rejected claims of desperation to end the war. On his Truth Social platform, he wrote,
“Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.”
Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, told a cabinet meeting that there were “strong signs” Tehran was willing to negotiate, confirming publicly that Washington had transmitted a 15-point “action list” to Iran through Pakistani intermediaries.
“We will see where things lead, and if we can convince Iran that this is the inflection point with no good alternatives for them, other than more death and destruction,” Witkoff said.
The U.S. president also noted that Iran had permitted 10 oil tankers passage through the strait as a demonstration of seriousness in talks.
Meanwhile, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that Tehran had responded to Washington’s 15 points and was awaiting the U.S. reply.
According to Tasnim, Iran’s response included demands for war reparations, recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and an end to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian targets and allied groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Early Friday, Israel’s military announced “a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran.”
State media in Lebanon reported an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, while explosions were heard in Hezbollah-controlled areas.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed a series of missile and drone attacks on Thursday, targeting sites in Israel and U.S. military facilities in the Gulf.
The conflict began on February 28 with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate and effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil prices higher and destabilizing financial markets.
READ ALSO: Trump Pauses Planned Strikes On Iran, Eases Tensions After Diplomatic Talks
In response to the energy crunch, Japan plans to temporarily lift restrictions on coal-fired power plants, while Vietnam waived an environmental tax on fuel to curb rising petrol prices. The World Bank also stated it is “ready to respond at scale.”
At a televised White House meeting, Trump alternated between threats to “obliterate” Iran and claims that Tehran was close to negotiating.
“They want to make a deal. The reason they want to make a deal is they have been just beat to shit,” he said.
He also suggested the U.S. might take control of Iranian oil, drawing a comparison to Venezuela after the ousting of Nicolas Maduro.
Meanwhile, Israel faces growing internal concern. Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the government for overstretching the military, saying it is “stretched to the limit and beyond” and lacks a clear strategy.
Military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir had issued a similar warning the previous day.
Military spokesman Effie Defrin noted that more combat soldiers are needed to establish a “defensive” buffer zone in Lebanon.
Israel recently stated it would extend military control up to the Litani River, around 30 kilometers from the Lebanese border.
Lebanon, drawn into the war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, said it would complain to the UN Security Council over Israeli attacks, calling them a threat to its “sovereignty.”
Hezbollah confirmed that its fighters launched rockets at northern Israel on Friday, triggering air raid sirens and sending residents to shelters.