UK, Germany Back Constructive U.S.–Iran Diplomatic Progress After Trump Delays Strikes on Iran Power Plants

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Britain’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed reports of “productive talks” between the United States and Iran after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a temporary five-day hold on planned military strikes against Iranian energy sites, CNN reported Monday. Downing Street emphasized London’s continued priority of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and achieving a swift resolution to the ongoing conflict.

Additionally German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday he was "grateful" to US President Donald Trump for delaying previously threatened strikes on Iranian power plants.

"I expressed my concerns to him regarding the announced attacks on the power plants in Iran," Merz told a Berlin press conference about their Sunday phone call, as reported by AFP.

"I am grateful that he said today he is postponing them for another five days," Merz said, as quoted by AFP.

Trump shared the decision via his Truth Social platform, stating that the delay in military action would remain contingent on the outcome of discussions expected to continue throughout the week.

He described the weekend conversations with Iranian officials as “in depth, detailed, and constructive,” prompting instructions to the Department of War to postpone strikes targeting Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Starmer said London welcomed any reports of productive diplomatic engagement. “We’ve always said that a swift resolution to the war is in the global interest and the Strait of Hormuz, specifically, needs to be reopened,” the spokesperson told reporters. Downing Street reiterated its broader desire for de-escalation in the Middle East and a rapid conclusion to hostilities.

The announcement follows sharply divergent accounts from Tehran.

A senior Iranian security official told Tasnim News Agency that no negotiations with the United States were underway and attributed the U.S. decision to postpone strikes to credible Iranian military deterrence and financial pressures.

“No negotiations with Trump are taking place,” the official said, adding that multiple messages had been sent to Tehran through intermediaries since the onset of the conflict. “From the beginning of the war until today, messages have been sent to Tehran by various mediators, to which the clear response has been that we will continue our defense until the necessary level of deterrence is achieved,” the official stated.

The Iranian official further noted that economic factors influenced Washington’s decision. “Pressure from financial markets and the threat to bonds within the United States and the West has increased, and this was another significant factor behind this retreat,” the source said, emphasizing that tensions would continue to affect global energy markets and maritime conditions.

The official also described the Strait of Hormuz situation as disrupted, stating that calm in energy markets had not returned despite U.S. statements.

However, as reported by Fox Business, President Donald Trump responded on Monday to Iranian state media’s denial that talks with the U.S. were underway.

Trump spoke with Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo Monday morning, shortly after announcing what he described as “constructive” discussions with Tehran. Bartiromo pressed him on why Iranian media had denied that such talks were taking place.

"I just spoke with President Trump and he told me that Iran wants to make a deal badly," Bartiromo said. "He said that the talks have been ongoing. I said, how much longer will this conflict go on? He said...five days to halt or postpone strikes on the electrical infrastructure. It could happen sooner, he said. But I have put down five days."

"I asked him what his reaction is to Iranian state television, saying that there are no talks, and he said he's not sure what they are referring to because the most recent talks happened, in fact, last night with Steve Wycoff and Jared Kushner and their counterparts," she continued.

"When I asked about the Iranian TV saying that no talks have happened, he said it's hard to get any information there because the U.S. is blowing up so much of their infrastructure. So again, he wasn't sure what Iran State TV was talking about, because the most recent talks, he said, happened last night with Steve Wycoff and Jared Kushner," she added.

Previous reporting by Kurdistan24 indicated that Trump had warned Iran that failure to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours could prompt strikes on major Iranian power facilities. The Wall Street Journal reported that the likely targets included natural gas-powered electricity plants, which comprise a substantial share of Iran’s energy production.

Data cited by the International Energy Agency indicated that approximately 80 percent of Iran’s electricity generation came from natural gas as of 2023, totaling roughly 303,000 gigawatt-hours. Among potential targets was the Damavand combined-cycle power plant southeast of Tehran, with a capacity of approximately 3,000 megawatts, according to prior reporting.

Meanwhile, military activity across the region has continued. AFP and AP reported that Iranian missile and drone operations extended beyond Israel to include the Gulf, where air defense systems in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia intercepted incoming threats on Sunday.

The UAE Ministry of Defense said its systems were actively responding to missile and drone activity, while Saudi officials reported intercepting a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh and downing multiple drones targeting the kingdom’s eastern region, according to AP.

Iranian missile strikes also targeted southern Israel. AFP and AP reported that missiles hit the cities of Arad and Dimona, injuring dozens and damaging residential buildings. Israeli military officials said that air defense systems were activated but did not intercept at least one incoming missile, AFP reported.

Iranian authorities described the strikes as retaliatory measures for prior attacks on Iranian territory, including a reported incident at the Natanz nuclear facility. AP noted that Iranian officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed no abnormal radiation levels following the Natanz event.

The conflict has also impacted global maritime and energy sectors. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a projectile struck near a commercial vessel north of Sharjah, raising concerns over shipping security, AP reported.

AFP cited a coalition of 21 countries, including the UAE, mobilizing to support efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which remains a critical transit route for global oil shipments. Officials described the waterway as operating under conditions resembling a “de facto closure,” although Iran denied restricting access and stated navigation continued under wartime conditions.

Oil prices responded to these disruptions, with market reports noting Brent crude exceeding $110 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate surpassing $100 per barrel before moderating slightly.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a temporary easing of sanctions on certain Iranian oil shipments already at sea, allowing roughly 140 million barrels to enter global markets, according to AP.

The Pentagon has deployed additional military assets to the region, including three warships and approximately 2,500 Marines, marking the second deployment within a week, AFP reported. Officials have not confirmed whether these forces will participate in active combat operations.

The conflicting narratives on diplomatic engagement and military planning underscore continuing volatility, as Washington and Tehran maintain public positions that diverge sharply regarding the existence and nature of any negotiations.

Trump’s postponement of planned strikes has elicited a cautious welcome from London, highlighting international concern over escalation and the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz.