US President Donald Trump has ordered a five-day suspension of planned military strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure following what he described as “very good and productive” high-stakes talks with Tehran aimed at a total resolution of Middle East hostilities
In a dramatic shift toward diplomacy amid a week of soaring global tensions, US President Donald Trump announced on Monday, March 23, 2026, a temporary suspension of threatened military strikes against Iran. Taking to his Truth Social platform, the President revealed that the United States and Iran have engaged in “very good and productive conversations” over the last 48 hours. These high-level discussions are reportedly focused on achieving a “complete and total resolution” of the long-standing hostilities that have recently pushed the Middle East to the brink of a full-scale regional war.
The President’s directive specifically targets the “Department of War”—a term he has frequently used to refer to the Pentagon—instructing them to postpone all planned kinetic operations against Iranian power plants and critical energy infrastructure. The suspension is currently set for a five-day window, a period intended to allow for continued negotiations throughout the week. “Based on the tenor and tone of the talks… I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes,” Trump wrote, adding the caveat that the ceasefire is strictly “subject to the success of the ongoing meetings.”
Global energy markets reacted instantly to the news, with Brent Crude prices retreating from their recent $120 peaks to settle around $108 per barrel in early Monday trading. This de-escalation comes at a critical time for the global economy, which has been reeling from the threat of a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. While details of the potential “total resolution” remain scarce, the five-day pause offers a rare diplomatic opening that could significantly lower the cost-of-living pressure currently felt in nations like Nigeria, where petrol prices have recently skyrocketed due to the conflict.
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