TEHRAN, March 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - President Donald Trump said Monday the United States and Iran had held "very good" talks towards ending the three-week Middle East war, putting threatened US attacks on Iran's power plants on hold in a stunning about-turn. In Iran, media outlets quoted the foreign ministry denying any such talks and suggesting Trump was angling to bring down energy prices sent soaring by the war -- with no mention of his claim on state television's latest news bulletin. Oil prices have been driven above $100 a barrel by the conflict -- and they tumbled sharply after Trump's announcement, while and European stocks rebounded. Sign of the conflict's tentacular impact, the world's second economy China had said earlier Monday it was capping domestic fuel cost increases to mitigate the effect of surging oil prices. In Iran, at least 3,230 people have died in the war, including 1,406 civilians, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 23, 2026 12:29 UTC