Donald Trump announced he is postponing all attacks on Iran's power plants and energy infrastructure after what he called 'productive talks'. He said the US and Iran have had talks about a solution to hostilities and ordered the US military to stop attacks for five days while talks continue. However, Israel's military stated it has begun a large-scale attack on Tehran, with several media reporting powerful explosions heard in the city. According to Iranian state-controlled media, at least one child has been killed after a residential building was bombed in western Iran, and a person has been killed in an attack on a radio station near the Strait of Hormuz. The extent of damage and casualties from the Israeli assault on Tehran remains unclear.
During the night, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia reported incoming missiles from Iran, though no damage to people or infrastructure has been reported. Less than a day remains of the deadline given by Trump for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, with the president threatening to bomb Iran's energy infrastructure if the country does not comply. The current status of the strait and whether Iran will meet the deadline is unknown.
It is with pleasure that I can announce that the US and Iran over the past two days have had very good and productive talks about a complete and total solution to our hostilities in the Middle East.
In Sweden, police are introducing stop-and-search zones in Diplomatstaden where the Israeli and US embassies are located, effective from Tuesday, allowing searches of people even without suspicion of a crime. An increased threat level is behind the decision, with Swedish police noting that the ongoing armed conflict in the Middle East has consequences in other areas where Israeli, Jewish, and American interests exist. They added that the Iranian regime uses criminal networks in Sweden to carry out violent acts against perceived threats, and there is a tangible risk of serious crime including shootings and explosions around the embassies. The exact threat that triggered these measures has not been specified.
Amid these developments, the United States has issued an ultimatum to the EU to approve a previously drafted trade agreement without any changes, according to Andrew Puzder, US Ambassador to the EU, who warned that failure to do so could leave the union without access to American fossil gas. Stock markets around the world are surging after Trump's announcement, with the Stockholm stock exchange falling about 2.5% at opening but now up nearly 2%, and oil prices are falling after his statement.