US, Iran war live updates: Trump backs down from ‘obliteration’ threat after ‘productive’ talks with Iran

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According to the BBC, CNBC news anchor Joe Kernen claims he’s had a quick phone call with US President Donald Trump, who he reports says there have been “very intense discussions” with the Iranians.

Kernen asked who the US has been speaking to and was told by the president “well, they have representatives.”

The president characterised them as having “great conversations” according to Kernan.

The UK government has welcomed President Trump’s latest announcement.

“Any reports of productive talks are welcome,” Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson has said.

No 10 has “always said that a swift resolution to the war is in global interests”, the spokesperson says, before adding “the Strait of Hormuz specifically needs to be reopened”.

Australia’s tourism industry faces an uncertain path ahead as war in the Middle East turns international travellers away.

Tourism Council of WA chief executive Evan Hall said WA would see a reduction of international bookings, but international uncertainty could open up other opportunities domestically.

“There’s so much uncertainty worldwide, we’ll certainly see a reduction in forward bookings as people largely wait and see before making their their holiday plans,” he said.

However, Curtin University School of Management and Business Professor Kirsten Holmes said WA was in a better position than States on the east coast.

“We’re probably better placed than other parts of Australia to keep those markets, but of course a lot of our tourism is regional, so it’s coming in from Southeast Asia, China, Singapore, a significantly growing, Indian market and none of those people have to go through the Middle East,” she said.

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Iran’s Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has quoted an unnamed Iranian source as saying there is “no direct or indirect contact with Trump.”

According to the BBC, the source says after “hearing that our targets would include all power stations in West Asia, he backed down.”

Markets have changed drastically since Donald Trump said the US and Iran had had “very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.”

According to the BBC, Brent crude has fallen 13% to about $96 a barrel. The FTSE 100 index is now up 0.5% having fallen more than 2% earlier.

Gas prices have fallen from 159p a therm to about 139p.

Donald Trump says there have been “productive conversations” about a “complete and total resolution” to the conflict in the Middle East.

He says he will “postpone any and all strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure” for a five day period.

In a post on TruthSocial all in capital letters,he said “productive” conversations between the US and Iran had taken place and the US has “postponed” strikes on Iranaian power plants.

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The Kremlin said on Monday that any US strikes on Iran’s Russia-built nuclear power plant could trigger “irreparable” consequences, AP reports.

Asked about President Donald Trump’s warning to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if it doesn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the “catastrophically tense” situation in the region could only be settled by political and diplomatic means.

Peskov warned that any strikes on nuclear facilities would be “extremely dangerous and fraught with possibly irreparable consequences.”

Ofer ‘Poshko’ Moskovitz was killed on Sunday in Misgav Am, a northern community on the border with Lebanon, AP reports.

On Monday the army said that following an examination it confirmed that Moskovitz was hit by Israeli artillery fire due to “operational errors,” including directing the fire “at an incorrect angle” and not following protocol.

“As a result, five artillery shells were fired at the Misgav Am ridge instead of toward the enemy target,” the army said in a statement. It expressed regret over the “very severe” incident.