Washington/Tehran, 27 March (H.S.): The United States has announced that it will refrain from striking Iran’s energy plants at least until April 6, 2026, extending a self‑imposed pause amid the ongoing war between the US, Israel and Iran. President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that he was pushing back his earlier deadline for possible attacks on Iran’s power grid and energy infrastructure, signalling a temporary easing of maximum‑pressure tactics even as the conflict in the Middle East continues.
In a statement on his social platform Truth Social, Trump said that, at the request of the Iranian government, he was prolonging the period of suspension by 10 days, so that the pause on attacks on energy plants would now run until 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, April 6, 2026. He framed the move as a goodwill gesture linked to Iran’s decision to allow several oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, an action he described as a sign of cooperation.
Trump also claimed that talks with Iran were “going very well,” even though Tehran has publicly questioned the sincerity of Washington’s latest proposals.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of a broader diplomatic effort to de‑escalate the four‑week‑old war, with Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt positioning themselves as key mediators. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has confirmed that Islamabad is relaying messages between Washington and Tehran and that the United States has communicated a 15‑point agenda to Iran through Pakistani channels.
Dar said that, while no direct talks are currently underway, Iran is examining the US proposal and that Turkey and Egypt are supporting the mediation initiative.
Meanwhile, there is visible disagreement in tone between the two sides. Iranian officials have dismissed the US peace plan as unbalanced and one‑sided, while Trump continues to portray the negotiations as constructive and progressing. With the Strait of Hormuz still largely closed to global oil traffic and regional tensions simmering, the April 6 deadline on energy‑plant strikes has become a key marker in the wider struggle to either broker a truce or brace for another round of intensified military action.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
