Trump extends Iran deadline by five days and claims ‘productive’ talks

President delays threat against energy infrastructure after Iran’s threats of retaliation, while Tehran denies any talks

• Middle East crisis – live updates

Donald Trump has extended by five days his deadline to “hit and obliterate” Iran’s power stations and energy infrastructure if Tehran does not allow shipping to move freely through the strait of Hormuz, claiming that the US and Iran have held “very good and productive conversations” on an end to the three-week-old war.

There was no immediate official reaction from Tehran to Trump’s announcement, which was made in a post on Truth Social and appeared to avert a potentially massive escalation of the conflict, at least for now.