US President Donald Trump has backed away from his earlier threat to strike Iran’s energy infrastructure after receiving private warnings from allies and Persian Gulf states, Bloomberg reports, citing sources.

According to the agency, Washington’s partners cautioned that such an اقدام could trigger catastrophic consequences. In their assessment, attacks causing irreversible damage to critical infrastructure would almost inevitably lead to the collapse of the Iranian state, effectively turning it into a failed state.

This scenario implies a breakdown in the authorities’ ability to guarantee public security, maintain law and order, and manage the economy, along with a partial or complete loss of territorial control. States in such conditions typically face internal conflict, economic decline, and the growing influence of armed groups.

Trump, for his part, claims that initial contacts with Iran were initiated by Tehran. Negotiations involving US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner began over the weekend, with a follow-up phone discussion scheduled for Monday, March 23. A senior diplomatic source indicated that Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan are acting as intermediaries in the process.

Against this backdrop, Trump announced a five-day pause in potential attacks and a shift toward negotiations. The timing of the statement also appears tied to efforts to calm financial markets: it came just before US trading opened, after which oil prices declined while stock indices moved higher.

Tehran, however, denies that any talks have begun, describing Washington’s statements as an attempt to influence market conditions. US allies, the report notes, remain cautious about the prospects of any agreement, pointing to mixed signals from the American administration and past instances in which Trump stepped back from hardline rhetoric.

Some analysts suggest the pause could ultimately benefit Iran. Jonathan Panikoff, former deputy US national intelligence officer for the Middle East, believes Tehran may interpret the отказ from strikes as evidence that pressure through threats to the region’s energy infrastructure is working.