Trump Extends Deadline to Attack Tehran Energy Plants by 10 Days: ‘Negotiations Are Ongoing’
Image source, Reuters
Reading time: 2 minutes
President Donald Trump has extended the deadline to attack Iranian energy facilities by 10 days, stating that talks with Tehran are “ongoing” and have made “quite good progress.”
Although Trump initially announced on Monday that attacks would be suspended for five days, a recent post on his social media platform Truth Social stated: “At the request of the Iranian government … I am postponing the destructive period for energy plants until 8 PM on Monday, April 6, 2026, for 10 days.”
Following this news, oil prices declined somewhat on Thursday. Earlier, in a cabinet meeting, Trump warned that failure to reach a peace agreement between Iran and the U.S. would lead to “the worst nightmare.”
During that same meeting, U.S. special envoy Steve Whitkoff confirmed that the U.S. had sent a 15-point peace plan to Iran.
Prior to this, an Iranian official mentioned to state media that Tehran holds the “natural and legal rights” to control the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump is considering deploying an additional 10,000 troops to the Middle East.
Oil Prices Experience Slight Drop
Image source, Bloomberg via Getty Images
After Trump extended the deadline to attack Iranian energy facilities from five days to two weeks, global oil prices fell slightly during Asian morning trading on Friday.
In Asian markets, the crude oil benchmark Brent Crude dropped by 1.2 percent to $106.76 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate decreased by 1.1 percent to $93.41.
Following the worst day seen on Wall Street since the outbreak of war, Asian equity markets also reflected the American losses.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell by 1.6%, and South Korea’s KOSPI dropped by 4.2%.
Both Japan and South Korea heavily depend on oil and gas, which are largely transported through the narrow Strait of Hormuz. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has frequently disrupted this critical waterway.
Warning Signs for Trump
Image source, EPA
Since returning to the White House last January, President Trump’s popularity among Americans has steadily declined.
Three weeks into the Iran war, average gas prices have reached $4 per gallon. Meanwhile, Trump’s economic approval rating has dropped to 29%.
At the conflict’s onset, by February 28 only 42% of Americans viewed Trump positively; this week that number fell to 40%.
However, there has not been a significant drop in overall presidential approval. According to Pew Research Center data, although most Americans opposed early military intervention, Trump’s political base has continued to support him.
A recent Quinnipiac University poll shows that 86% of Republicans support U.S. military action against Iran, and 80% approve of Trump’s handling of the situation.