Trump claims "major points of agreement" with Iran while Te

BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Washington had reached "major points of agreement" with Iran and was in contact with "a top person," even as Tehran denied any direct or indirect communication with the United States.

Trump told reporters the two sides were "going to get together" by phone later and warned it would "keep bombing" if negotiations fail.

Earlier in the day, Trump said he has ordered a five-day delay of planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy facilities, citing what he described as "very good and productive conversations" over the past two days aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East.

Iran, however, rejected the claim. The semi-official Fars news agency reported that there had been no direct or indirect contact with Trump, while the foreign ministry said his remarks were "part of efforts to reduce energy prices and buy time" for military plans.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing a senior security official, said Washington stepped back from attacking critical infrastructure after Iran's military threats became credible.

The conflicting accounts followed Trump's recent shift in tone. Days earlier, he said there was "nobody to talk to" after weeks of U.S.-Israeli strikes that he said had decimated Iran's leadership.

On Saturday, he issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning of sweeping strikes, while Tehran signaled it would retaliate across the region if attacked.

European leaders cautiously welcomed signs of de-escalation. A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said reports of productive talks were "welcome," while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was "grateful" for the delay in strikes.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in remarks carried by Russian media, accused the United States of pursuing dominance in global energy markets and acting primarily in its own interests.

Trump also said falling oil prices would follow any agreement, saying that "the price will drop like a rock as soon as there's a deal."

U.S. stocks rose about 1.4 percent at the opening bell as oil prices declined on Trump's latest claims on talks with Iran.

U.S. financial markets reacted strongly to the developments. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose more than 900 points, or nearly 2 percent, in early trading, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 2.07 percent after falling into correction territory in the previous session. The S&P 500 also climbed more than 100 points, up 1.82 percent.

Meanwhile, crude oil futures plunged more than 10 percent earlier in the day following Trump's social media post.