ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – US President Donald Trump said on Monday that talks with Iran are progressing well, and a deal could be within reach within five days or sooner, shortly after announcing a five-day halt on attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure.

Trump said in a Truth Social post earlier on Monday that the US and Iran have been engaged in "very good and productive" talks over the last two days regarding a "complete and total resolution" to the hostilities between them. 

Moments later, the American president told CNBC that Washington is “very intent on making a deal with Iran,” and told Fox Business afterwards that Iran also wants a deal "badly". 

He added that a deal could be reached within five days or sooner.

Shortly after his statement, IRGC-affiliated media denied Trump's claims. Citing an unnamed source, Fars News said: “There is no direct or indirect connection with Trump; he retreated after hearing that our targets will be all power plants in West Asia.”

But Iran’s state broadcaster asserted that Tehran has not officially confirmed or denied Trump’s claims, calling on media outlets to “refrain from speculation and from punishing unverified news.”

Asked about Iranian media’s denial of the talks, Trump said that he is not sure what they are referring to, because the most recent talks “happened last night," and involved envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner engaging in negotiations with their counterparts. 

Trump also told AFP that “things are going very well” with Iran.

Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its targeting of Gulf energy infrastructure have driven oil prices significantly higher. In retaliation for an Israeli attack on Iran's key South Pars gas field earlier in March, Iran struck Qatar's giant Ras Laffan refinery, which accounts for around 20 percent of the global supply of LNG.

The strike prompted a reaction from Trump, who said that neither the US nor Qatar was involved or aware of the strike, adding that Israel would not attack the facility again.

Following Trump's five-day suspension of strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure, global oil prices plunged by 14 percent, down to 96 dollars a barrel, Bloomberg reported.