JERUSALEM, Israel – President Trump extended the deadline for attacks on Iran’s energy sector by ten days on Thursday. The extension allows for continued diplomatic talks between the U.S. and the Iranian regime to end the war.
The president made the announcement on Truth Social, posting, “Let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time. Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.”
At Thursday’s White House cabinet meeting, Trump described Iran’s position.
“They are begging to make a deal. Not me. They’re begging to make a deal. And anybody that saw what was happening over there would understand why they want to make a deal,” Trump stated.
He added, “But they say, ‘Oh, we’re not talking to them (the U.S.)’ Anybody would know that. Only a fool, and they’re not fools. They’re very smart, actually, in a certain way, and they’re great negotiators. I say they’re lousy fighters, but they’re great negotiators.”
Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff insisted during the meeting that talks are moving forward.
“I can report to you today that we have, along with your foreign policy team, presented a 15-point action list that forms the framework for a peace deal. This has been circulated through the Pakistani government acting as the mediator, and this has resulted in strong and positive messaging in talks,” Witkoff said.
As part of those talks, Trump revealed that Iran sent a gift of eight oil tankers, and then increased it to ten.
“And I think they were Pakistani-flagged,” the president said. And I said, ‘Well, I guess we’re dealing with the right people.’ And actually, they then apologized for something they said, and they said, “We’re going to send two more boats.’ And it ended up being 10 boats.”
Still, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned about the nature of Iran’s regime.
He declared, “The people that run this country are radical Shia clerics. These are religious fanatics. Look what they are doing now. They’re attacking embassies. They’re embassies, they’re attacking hotels.”
Rubio added, “Imagine what these people would do if they had a nuclear weapon. That is an unacceptable risk for the world. By the way, the president is not just doing a favor to the United States and to our people. This is for the world.”
And the U.S. and Israel are keeping up the military pressure. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Pentagon is considering sending another ten thousand ground troops to the Middle East.
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On the battlefield, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the elimination of the head of Iran’s navy.
“This man has a lot of blood on his hands, and he is also the one who led the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This is another example of the cooperation between us and our friend, the United States, in the common goal of achieving the goals of the war,” Netanyahu asserted.
U.S. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper confirmed that the Iranian commander was a specially designated global terrorist. Cooper also signaled to “every Iranian serving in the (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC-N) to immediately abandon their post and return home to avoid further risk of unnecessary injury or death.”
Meanwhile, in a sign of desperation, the Tehran regime launched a recruiting campaign to add one million fighters by lowering the draft age to include 12-year-olds.
