US President Donald Trump has said that he is extending a pause on attacks against Iran's energy plants into April, claiming it was being done at Tehran's “request”. However, a report by the Wall Street Journal later said that Iran didn't seek any pause.
According to the US President, the talks with Iran were going "very well,” and blamed “fake news media” for reports and statements to the contrary.
"As per Iranian Government request, please let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time. Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP," he said in a post on Truth Social.
Before the social media post announcing the extension, Trump had threatened during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday to increase pressure on Iran if it did not make a deal.
Iran has said it is not engaged in talks with Washington.
{{/usCountry}}Iran has said it is not engaged in talks with Washington.
{{/usCountry}}Trump has not identified with whom the US is negotiating in Iran, with many high-ranking officials killed in the war. He is under pressure to persuade Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for oil and gas flows, a step needed to arrest a global supply shock.
The four-week war has spread across the Middle East, killing thousands of people and hitting the global economy with soaring energy prices, fuelling global inflation fears.
The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28 after talks about Tehran's nuclear program failed to yield a deal.
On March 23, Trump announced a halt to all strikes against power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, but has now extended it to 10 days.
Iran says it did not ask for the pause
Iran did not ask for a 10-day pause on strikes on its energy plants, the Wall Street Journal cited peace talk mediators as saying.
Trump told Fox News' "The Five" program that the Iranians had asked for a seven-day pause on strikes on energy plants. According to the WSJ report, though, Tehran was still considering how to proceed regarding negotiations.
Iran, earlier Thursday, through the Tasnim news agency, indicated it was still waiting for a response after rejecting a US 15-point plan to end the war and offering its own conditions. Those include a guarantee that the US and Israel won’t resume their attacks, the payment of reparations for war damages and recognition of Iran’s authority over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran is also calling for an end to the war on all fronts, Tasnim reported, a likely reference to Israel’s parallel war against the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff, during a Cabinet meeting earlier Thursday, confirmed that the 15-point proposal had been delivered to Iran through Pakistani mediators, without providing details, and offered a more optimistic tone. He said it had led to “strong and positive messaging and talks.”
The US has compiled a list of 12 demands alongside three points Iran would receive in return, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter.