President Donald Trump announced he would extend the deadline for threatened strikes against Iranian power plants by 10 days until the evening of Monday, April 6. The extension comes as the United States and Iran engage in indirect negotiations through Pakistan as an intermediary.

Trump had previously threatened to destroy Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened within 48 hours. The president revised his timeline for negotiations with Iran for a second time with this latest extension.

The United States put forward a preliminary 15-point proposal to Iran in the indirect negotiations. Iran presented five counterproposals in response.

Trump described the ongoing talks as in-depth, detailed and constructive. The 10-day pause on strikes covers only Iranian power plants, while other targets in Iran continue to be struck. "We'll just keep blowing them away," Trump said regarding the ongoing military operations against other Iranian targets.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key waterway controlled by Iran and plays a crucial role in the global energy supply. Iran's partial blockade of the strait has driven up oil prices since the war began.

The United States has sent more troops to the Middle East during the war with Iran. Stocks fell on Thursday as investors expressed pessimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement between the two nations.