'Very Good Talks': After Trump Announces 5-Day Pause On Strikes, Is Iran War Finally Set To End?

Last Updated:March 23, 2026, 18:50 IST

US President Donald Trump said he has paused planned strikes against Iran after "very good and productive conversations" aimed at "complete and total resolution" of the war

Amid threats of Iran to attack power infrastructure in West Asia and deploy “naval mines" over the Hormuz ultimatum by the United States, there was much relief as President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause on pause on planned military strikes against the Islamic republic.

With this, the West Asia conflict has reached a critical turning point after almost a month since US-Israel attacked Iran on February 28, also killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump on Monday said he has directed a five-day suspension of planned military strikes against Iran’s energy grid and power plants, citing “very good and productive conversations" aimed at a “complete and total resolution" of the war.

The conflict has led to a massive energy catastrophe, with global repercussions, as Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz – a vital artery for a fifth of the world’s crude oil – and sent global markets into a tailspin. But even as the US expressed a sudden, “stunning" optimism, the situation is precarious with both Washington and Tehran previously threatening the “irreversible destruction" of regional infrastructure if the other side fails to blink.

While it can be premature to say Trump’s pause may signal the end of the war, News18 evaluates why or why not it could go both ways.

THREE REASONS WHY IRAN WAR MAY END

Threat of Total Global Economic Collapse

The primary driver for a resolution is the sheer scale of the economic damage caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively controlled by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Before Trump’s announcement, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that a protracted war would create an energy crisis worse than the combined impact of the 1970s oil shocks and the invasion of Ukraine.

With oil prices peaking above USD 112 per barrel, even major economies like China have been forced to cap domestic fuel costs to mitigate the surge. The immediate 14 percent plunge in Brent crude to USD 96 following Trump’s announcement suggests that the markets – and the leaders behind them – are desperate for the de-escalation.

News world 'Very Good Talks': After Trump Announces 5-Day Pause On Strikes, Is Iran War Finally Set To End?

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