The United States backs down after threatening to attack Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure. US President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran have had constructive conversations and announced a five-day delay on any planned attacks.

Iran's Foreign Ministry pushed back, denying any direct dialogue with the US and suggested the announcement is aimed at calming rattled energy markets.

So whose narrative holds up? Mohammad Marandi, a professor of literature and orientalism at the University of Tehran and a former adviser to Iran’s nuclear negotiation team, and Pepe Escobar, a Eurasia-wide geopolitical analyst, author and editor-at-Large at Asia Times, join CGTN to give their insights on the current state of Middle East tensions.