Palestinians gather around the wreckage of an Iranian missile that landed in the West Bank village of Kifl Haris Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

Trump’s announcement came as thousands of Marines headed to the region, raising speculation the U.S. may try to seize Kharg Island, which is vital to Iran’s oil network. The U.S. bombed the Persian Gulf island more than a week ago, hitting its defenses but saying it had left oil infrastructure intact.

Iran has threatened to mine the Gulf if the U.S. appears to be on the verge of landing troops.

Trump said he would hold off on a threat to bomb Iran’s power stations while talks unfold — a delay that could be aimed at buying time for the Marines to arrive, the New York-based think tank the Soufan Center wrote in an analysis.

However, the center also noted that “Trump could be actively seeking an offramp.”

Trump has said he has no plans to send ground forces into Iran but has not ruled it out. Israel has suggested its ground forces could participate in the war.