Trump Freezes Iran Strike Plan, Pushes Talks; Tehran Rejects Claims, Vows Fight to ‘Complete Victory’

U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States is engaged in active negotiations with Iran and has paused planned strikes on key Iranian energy infrastructure, even as he claimed American military operations have “decimated” Tehran’s capabilities, marking a sharp dual-track approach of coercion and diplomacy in the ongoing war. 

Image Via: @WhiteHouse on X

Speaking during a swearing-in ceremony for the new Homeland Security Secretary and later at a Memphis security roundtable, Trump said Washington had held “very good discussions” with Iran over the past two days and was delaying attacks on “major energy and electricity targets” to test the possibility of a broader agreement.

In running remarks that underscored both escalation and restraint, Trump said the U.S. had been “going to have the privilege of shooting down a very big electric generation plant… and we held off based on the fact that we’re negotiating,” adding that “they want to make a deal so badly… we’re actually talking to the right people.” 

He reiterated that any agreement would hinge on Iran never acquiring nuclear weapons, stating that Tehran has “agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon,” while cautioning that the outcome remains uncertain over a five-day diplomatic window.

Trump simultaneously framed the negotiations as a result of overwhelming military pressure, claiming that U.S. operations had “eliminated their Navy… their Air Force… all of their air defense,” and reduced missile launch capabilities by “more than 90 percent,” asserting that 

Iran’s ability to threaten the United States and its allies had been “systematically dismantled.” He added that Iranian leadership structures had been severely disrupted, saying “nobody knows who to talk to,” even as U.S. officials continue engagement through intermediaries and direct channels.

The remarks came against the backdrop of Trump’s earlier threats to strike Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened, followed by a sudden pause in military action and claims of ongoing talks — a sequence that reflects Washington’s attempt to balance battlefield dominance with the risk of triggering wider regional and global energy shocks. 

The Strait remains central to the crisis, with disruptions already rattling oil markets, shipping routes and supply chains.

Trump also linked the Iran operations to broader U.S. strategic messaging, describing the campaign as necessary to prevent Tehran from reaching nuclear capability and to protect global security, while emphasizing that “either way, America and the entire world will soon be much safer.” At the same time, he acknowledged that negotiations could avert further destruction, saying avoiding full-scale strikes that could “literally annihilate the place” would be “a good thing, not a bad thing” if a deal is reached.

Iran’s military has signalled continued escalation even as Washington speaks of negotiations, with Major General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi vowing the fight would continue until “complete victory” and dismissing the United States as a “hollow” power, accusing President Donald Trump of “trying to escape from the war” it initiated. 

The rhetoric comes alongside fresh reports that the U.S. has approved the deployment of more than 1,000 additional troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East — an elite force trained in rapid, forcible entry operations — a move that complicates Trump’s parallel claims of ongoing talks and suggests military positioning is still actively underway despite the stated push for a diplomatic outcome.

With both sides publicly hardening positions even as backchannel contacts continue, the coming days — defined by Trump’s self-imposed negotiation window — are likely to determine whether the conflict shifts toward a negotiated pause or escalates into deeper confrontation with far-reaching consequences for energy security and global markets.