From 48-hr ultimatum to 5-day pause: Trump cites ‘productive’ US-Iran talks, halts infra strikes

2026-03-23 - 12:00

US President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause on planned military strikes against Iran, citing "very good and productive" talks. This follows a 48-hour ultimatum to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran stated the strait remains open to non-enemy vessels, prioritizing diplomacy but demanding an end to aggression. The conflict has escalated with missile deployments and rising casualties.