US President Donald Trump said Iran had allegedly presented Washington with what he described as a «valuable gift» a day earlier, though he offered no specifics. He indicated that the matter was tied to the situation around the Strait of Hormuz, calling the development extremely significant and financially substantial in remarks to reporters.

Earlier, Axios reported that Trump was considering stepping up pressure on Tehran, including the possibility of seizing Iran’s Khark Island, in an effort to force the reopening of the strait to shipping.

At the same time, the US president announced a five-day pause in strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, claiming the decision followed what he portrayed as progress toward a ceasefire. Tehran responded with strikes on US bases in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, dismissing Trump’s statements as psychological pressure.

Prior to that, Trump had issued an ultimatum to Tehran, warning that the United States was prepared to destroy Iran’s entire energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz was not fully reopened within 48 hours. Iranian officials, in turn, signaled readiness to retaliate by targeting companies across the Middle East linked to US interests, as well as energy facilities in countries hosting American military bases.