US President Donald Trump don extend im deadline for Iran to open back the Strait of Hormuz, as war for Middle East dey enter fourth week. Trump talk say im go hold off for five days before im go strike Iran power plants, but Iran deny say dem dey negotiate with America.
Trump announce for im Truth Social platform say US and Iran don get “very good and productive conversations” wey fit lead to “complete and total resolution” for the war. Im talk say the suspension of threat to attack power plants na “subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.” But Iranian state television respond quick say Trump “backs down following Iran’s firm warning.”
Iran Foreign Ministry deny any negotiations with US, and two Iranian news agencies close to Revolutionary Guard, Fars and Tasnim, talk say no negotiations dey happen. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi talk say im only discuss by phone with Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, as Turkey don dey mediate before for talks between Tehran and Washington.
For im side, Trump tell reporters say US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner don hold talks with “respected” Iranian leader, but im no mention name. Im talk say if deal happen, US go retrieve Iran enriched uranium and end nuclear program. “We want to see no nuclear bomb, no nuclear weapon. Not even close to it,” Trump talk.
War casualties don rise pass 1,500 people for Iran, 1,000 for Lebanon, 15 for Israel, and 13 US military members, plus civilians for Gulf region. Millions of people for Lebanon and Iran don run from their houses.
Israel continue strikes for Tehran on Monday, with explosions dey heard across multiple points for the capital. Israeli military talk say dem “begun a wide-scale wave of strikes” on infrastructure targets. Iran warn say if any ground invasion happen, dem go deploy naval mines across “entire Persian Gulf.”
For Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes don destroy bridges over Litani river for south, including Qasmiyeh bridge near Tyre and another for Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun talk say Israel targeting of bridges na “prelude to ground invasion,” while Egypt condemn am as “collective punishment.”
UN peacekeepers for southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) talk say their headquarters for Naqoura don struck by projectile wey dem believe come from “non-state actor,” likely Hezbollah. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel talk say peacekeepers don record intense gunfire and explosions for Naqoura area and villages like Khiam, Odaisseh, Mays al-Jabal, Markaba, and Taybeh.
Global markets react to Trump announcement as oil prices tumble and stock prices jump. Futures for S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average soar 2.6%, while benchmark US crude slide to $90 a barrel and Brent crude fall to $103.17 a barrel. Oil prices don rise more than 50% since war begin.
Russia talk say dem go evacuate more workers from Iran nuclear power plant for Bushehr but keep some. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warn say any US strikes on nuclear facilities fit cause “irreparable” consequences. Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev talk say evacuations go leave just few dozen workers at the plant.
Other international reactions include Oman Foreign Minister Bad Albusaidi talk say im country dey work to secure safe transit through Strait of Hormuz. China Middle East envoy Zhai Jun blame US and Israel for the war, talk say “We all know who started this war.” India Prime Minister Narendra Modi talk say war dey strain India energy security, while UN official Jorge Moreira da Silva talk say war get “far reaching” impact on millions for Asia and Africa.
National Iranian American Council head Jamal Abdi describe Trump threat to strike Iran power plants as “collective punishment,” talk say “Threatening to bomb Iran’s power plants is a threat to millions of civilians.”
As war continue, concerns dey high about potential strikes on natural gas electricity generation sites for Iran like Damavand Power Plant, Shahid Salimi Neka Power Plant, and Shahid Rajaee Power Plant. The conflict don already cause South Korean chemical giant LG Chem to shut down industrial plant due to disrupted naphtha supplies.
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