WASHINGTON: In a late-night development, US President Donald Trump pushed back his deadline for strikes on Iran’s energy assets to April 6, claiming that he was doing so at Tehran’s request, and that talks between the two warring sides were “going very well”.

Last Saturday, Trump had initially given Iran 48 hours to open the crucial Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers, threatening to destroy its power plants, but has now extended the deadline twice.

“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,” he posted.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2026

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