Trump Claims Productive U.S.-Iran Talks, Orders Five-Day Strike Pause Amid Denials
The announcement followed Trump's ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, sparking wild swings on Wall Street: S&P 500 futures jumped 240 points before dropping 120 as Iran rejected the claims. This comes amid Operation Epic Fury, a three-week conflict started February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian missile sites and defenses to counter nuclear ambitions. Trump touted negotiators speaking to a top Iranian figure and expressed interest in a deal, while Iranian officials called it lies and mocked U.S. claims, with Israeli strikes continuing despite the U.S. pause.