On March 23, U.S. President Donald Trump decided to suspend military attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure for a period of five days. This measure came hours after announcing an ultimatum for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which expires today at 11:44 p.m. Trump stated that the pause is a result of ‘very positive conversations’ and that an agreement could be reached this week, although Iranian sources deny this claim.
Tehran, for its part, warned that any attack on its islands would provoke retaliation, including the mining of communication routes in the Persian Gulf. A senior Iranian security official dismissed Trump’s statements, asserting that there are no active dialogues with Washington.
This announcement impacted energy markets, with a notable drop in oil prices. West Texas Intermediate fell by more than 7%, while Brent dropped by over 6%. Analysts warn that a prolonged closure of the strait could exacerbate the energy crisis and have inflationary repercussions globally.
The current situation has caused volatility in international stock markets, although significant rebounds were reported on Wall Street and in Europe. Uncertainty regarding the conflict in the Middle East continues to condition the global economy, intensifying concerns over energy supply.
