Trump extends deadline for Iran negotiations
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President Trump during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday. Photo: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Trump extended the deadline for negotiations with Iran and paused his threat to bomb Iranian energy facilities by another 10 days.
Why it matters: The Trump administration through a group of mediators, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, has asked Tehran to hold a high-level meeting this week to discuss a U.S. proposal for ending the war.
- Trump's initial five-day pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure was supposed to expire Saturday, and a dramatic military escalation will grow more likely if no progress is made in diplomatic talks, particularly if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
- The Pentagon is developing military options for a "final blow" in Iran that could include ground forces and a massive bombing campaign, Axios previously reported.
What he's saying: "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", Trump wrote on Truth Social.
- He added that "talks are ongoing and ... are going very well".
Between the lines: Trump made the announcement some 10 minutes after the stock market closed following its worst single day of the war.
- Oil prices fell quickly on the post, too, but snapped back sharply within minutes and the global benchmark Brent crude was hovering around $107 a barrel on Thursday evening.
Driving the news: White House envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday during a Cabinet meeting that in recent days Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey had approached the U.S. and proposed to mediate.
- The U.S. gave Iran through Pakistan a "15-point action list the forms the framework for a peace deal," Witkoff said.
- "This has resulted in strong and positive talks ... we will see where things lead and if we can convince Iran that this is the inflection point with no good alternatives for them other than more death and destruction. We have strong signs that this is a possibility," he said.
- Witkoff claimed "Iran is looking for an off-ramp" from the war and noted that he communicated to an Iranian official that they shouldn't "miscalculate again."
State of play: A source with knowledge of the mediation efforts said despite public statement rejecting the U.S. proposal, Iranian officials have made it clear they are interested in negotiations.
- At the same time, the Iranians officials still haven't given a final response to the proposal to hold a high-level meeting with the U.S. in the coming days.
- The source said the mediators are pressing Tehran to agree to a meeting, but the Iranian officials claim the country's top leadership has yet to make a decision.
- "The key issue for the mediators is to make the meeting happen. But the main problem has been mistrust and the Iranian suspicion that the U.S. is tricking them again," the source said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates
