US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said he has pushed back the deadline for possible strikes on Iran’s energy facilities to April 6, after Tehran sought more time during ongoing talks.
The move signals a shifting strategy by Washington, mixing military pressure with negotiations, even as tensions in West Asia remain high following weeks of conflict and disruption to global energy routes.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Iran had requested a week’s pause, but he chose to extend it further.
“They said to me very nicely, through my people, ‘Could we have more time?’ Because we’re talking about tomorrow night, which is pretty quick, and if they don’t do what they have to do, I will knock out their power plants,” Trump said.
“They asked for seven, and I said, ‘I’m going to give you 10,’ because they gave me ships.”
He also warned that if Iran fails to meet expectations, US action on power infrastructure remains on the table.
Trump linked his decision to what he described as a “gesture” from Tehran, allowing eight oil tankers to pass through the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz. He called it a “present” during negotiations and said Iran appreciated the extended window.
What Trump said on talks, strikes and shifting deadlines
In a post on Truth Social, Trump confirmed the 10-day pause, saying it was granted at Iran’s request and that discussions were progressing well. He also dismissed reports suggesting otherwise, insisting negotiations were “going very well”.
“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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” the post read.
This marks a second extension in recent days. Earlier, Trump had ordered a five-day pause in planned strikes on Iranian energy sites, citing “constructive” talks between the two sides. Before that, he had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning of attacks on power plants if it failed to comply.
‘We have already won militarily’: Trump’s claim on Iran conflict
Even as talks continue, Trump struck a confident tone on the battlefield, claiming the United States had already secured a military victory against Iran.
“We have already won the war, militarily. We have totally won the war,” Trump told Fox News, arguing that US and Israeli operations had significantly weakened Iran’s naval, air and missile capabilities.
According to Trump, dozens of ships were destroyed and missile launch systems were largely neutralised, leaving Iran with a fraction of its earlier capacity. He described the impact as a near-collapse of Iran’s military strength.
“We have already won because we have knocked out their navy; we have knocked out their air force, completely knocked out the air force, just about completely knocked out; we knocked out 154 ships, pretty good ships, in fact, I said, ‘why didn’t we just take them instead of sinking them we could’ve used them ourselves, right?’ But they like showing how tough they are,” said the US President.
Oil, pressure and the wider strategy
Trump also hinted that taking control of Iran’s oil resources remains a possibility, though he stopped short of detailing any plan. “It’s an option,” he said during a Cabinet meeting.
Drawing a comparison with Venezuela, he suggested the US could benefit financially from such arrangements, while maintaining that America’s own oil reserves are strong enough to withstand disruptions in the region.
The developments come against the backdrop of the conflict that escalated after US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28, followed by retaliatory attacks by Tehran.