Washington — Washington (AFP) – President Donald Trump He began the fourth week of his war against Iran by offering the world some cautious optimism that the United States might soon be the same Wind down processesclaiming that The markets cheered But Iranian officials dismissed that as a ploy to buy time for a conflict that is causing economic pain around the world.
In a message on social media before markets opened, Trump said he was postponing the plans he announced over the weekend for five days Bombing power plants in Iran Unless Tehran opens Strait of Hormuz By Monday evening. The vital corridor for about 20% of the world’s crude oil was closed during the war, sending oil and gas prices soaring.
Trump explained that he decided to back away from targeting Iran’s vital infrastructure, because his envoys, Son-in-law Jared Kushner and Steve WitkoffHe held “very good” talks over the weekend with unnamed “respected” Iranian officials about ending hostilities.
The president did not mention Iran’s pledge to boost critical infrastructure throughout the Gulf region – including energy and water Water desalination facilities Critical to drinking water – would be considered legitimate targets and “Irreversible destruction” If Trump acts on his threat. This back and forth led to a sharp sell-off in Asian markets as Trump’s ultimatum ticked down.
“All I’m saying is that we are in the midst of a real possibility of concluding an agreement,” Trump said during a lengthy conversation with reporters before boarding Air Force One on Monday morning, heading from his home in Florida to attend an event in Memphis, Tennessee. “And I think if I were a betting man I would bet on it. But again, I don’t guarantee anything.”
Before the president’s plane landed in Tennessee, less than two hours later, Iran denied any high-level contacts with the White House and rejected Trump’s speech, describing it as a veiled attempt to manipulate tense global markets.
“No negotiations have been conducted with the United States. Fake news is being used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire into which the United States and Israel have fallen,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, said on the X website.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also said that Trump’s statement was nothing more than an attempt “to lower energy prices and buy time to implement his military plans.”
Some regional analysts have suggested that if Trump ends the war now, he will withdraw from the fighting at a time when he still has not fully achieved his stated goals.
And over the past few weeks, Trump has done just that Variable reasons offered To wage war at a time when Democrats accuse him of needlessly shaking the global economy, and opinion polls at home show that Americans are divided along party lines About conflict.
But the president settled on a list of goals that he said must be achieved, including weakening Iran’s missile capability, destroying its defense industrial base, and eliminating the Iranian navy. Prevent Iran from ever possessing nuclear weaponsAnd securing the Strait of Hormuz.
American and Israeli aerial bombardment has achieved progress in some of these goals. But analysts say Trump may be being too naive if he claims, at this stage, that he has succeeded in achieving his goals – especially ending Iran’s ability to build a nuclear bomb once and for all.
US nuclear regulatory agencies believe About 970 pounds of highly enriched uranium Remains are buried under rubble at three major Iranian nuclear sites that were severely damaged by a limited US military operation last June during the 12-day Israel-Iran war.
Trump said on Monday that the United States would return Iranian enriched uranium as part of a potential agreement with the Islamic Republic. But he did not provide details on how this would be done, other than to say that the US military would “take it into our own hands.”
“Trump’s war option has not achieved his military goals,” Aaron David Miller, a former State Department negotiator for the Middle East who is now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said on Channel X. Miller pointed out that Iran is still capable of attacking Gulf allies and effectively controlling the Strait of Hormuz. “No nuclear weapons, no enrichment, good luck with that. Incompetent use of American power.”
Indeed, Trump on Monday sought to leave plenty of room for him to take another surprise turn, even as he highlighted the positive reaction in energy markets to his early morning social media post about the ongoing talks.
“The price of oil will drop like a rock, once we reach an agreement,” Trump said. “I think that actually happened today.” “Now we have a very serious chance of reaching an agreement. This does not guarantee anything. I do not guarantee anything. I am not going to come out here in a week or two and ask you to say: Oh, you said… – I didn’t say anything.”
Last week, Trump ordered additional US forces to be sent to the region while the US administration studies possible action to control the Strait of Hormuz to allow safe passage of tankers transporting oil from the oil-rich Gulf states to Asia.
The United States moved last week to deploy three additional amphibious assault ships and about 2,500 additional Marines to the Middle East, the Associated Press and other media reported. The move came days after the United States redirected another group of amphibious assault ships carrying another 2,500 Marines from the Pacific to the Middle East. The Marines will join more than 50,000 American soldiers already in the region.
Trump said he has no plans to send ground troops to Iran, but also stressed that he reserves all options. It is expected that it will take weeks for these Marines to arrive in the Middle East.
“We are witnessing how the struggle that started over politics and security is shifting to energy and economics,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hardline think tank in Washington. “It’s hard to ignore the logic behind the president’s own comment, which calms markets but also buys time for the Marines to arrive.”