Donald Trump's decision to pause any attack on Iranian energy plants for a further 10 days could be a pivotal moment in a conflict that has now lasted almost four weeks.
The US president's commitment to deadlines is fluid - this is his second extension of this particular threat - but he uses them nonetheless for a purpose: to send signals, to distract attention and to buy time.
Take this latest promise to hold off a threatened "obliteration" of Iran's energy infrastructure, a massive escalation that could trigger both Iranian retaliation against similar Gulf facilities and damage chances of a sustainable peace and global economic recovery.
It may be Trump wanted again to calm international markets; it has not gone unnoticed this latest pause was announced minutes after trading closed on Wall Street.
The president may hope the financial world will believe his positive noises about the prospects of a diplomatic solution.
