One U.S. crew member has been rescued after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, as the search continues for a missing pilot, while President Donald Trump has given Tehran 48 hours to agree to a deal to end the war.
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Iran has permitted vessels carrying essential goods to transit the Strait of Hormuz to its ports, requiring coordination with authorities and adherence to established protocols.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards report that a drone struck and set ablaze an Israel-linked vessel, the MSC Ishyka, in the Strait of Hormuz, though ownership and casualty details remain unconfirmed.
U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a 48‑hour ultimatum giving Iran a final deadline to reach a deal with Washington or reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz or face intensified military consequences.
The United States has deployed most of its stealthy long‑range JASSM‑ER cruise missile inventory to the Middle East as part of its military campaign against Iran.
Iran has issued a stark warning to the United States and Israel - saying continued escalation could make the entire Middle East “a hell” for its adversaries, according to Iranian state media and official messaging amid ongoing conflict tensions
Iranian media report that at least five people have died after explosions struck the Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Zone in Khuzestan province.
Multiple facilities were hit, emergency teams are on site, and Iranian sources suggest the attack is linked to U.S.–Israeli strikes on industrial targets.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has targeted key Iranian industrial sites, hitting much of the country’s steel production and major petrochemical plants, in coordination with U.S. operations.
Iran confirms damage and reports several injuries.
The Israeli military has confirmed that a soldier was killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon, where its forces are engaged in ongoing clashes with Hezbollah and other Iran‑linked fighters.
The United States has moved most of its stealthy JASSM‑ER cruise missiles to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran, Bloomberg reports.
Donald Trump renewed threats against Iran on social media, giving Tehran 48 hours to reach a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face severe consequences.
Iran’s Khatam al‑Anbiya military command has said Iraq will face no transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, signalling preferential treatment as Tehran tightens control over the strategic waterway.
U.S. federal agents have arrested Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, the grand-niece of late Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their green cards.
The State Department said they are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. No further details on potential deportation or legal proceedings have been released.
Russia’s state nuclear firm Rosatom has evacuated another 198 personnel from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, Russian agencies reported, as security risks escalate amid the ongoing conflict in Iran.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Saturday that an Iranian staff member was killed by a projectile fragment and a building was damaged by shockwaves.
Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev warned the situation is developing along a worst-case scenario and said Vladimir Putin has been briefed.
The United Arab Emirates has condemned attacks targeting its embassy and the residence of its head of mission in Damascus, according to the Foreign Ministry.
The ministry denounced the incidents as violations of diplomatic norms and called for the protection of diplomatic premises
Iran says it used a “new advanced” air defence system to target a U.S. fighter jet, according to its Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command, as cited by state media.
The claim follows reports that a U.S. aircraft was shot down over Iran, with Western officials confirming at least one jet loss, though details remain contested.
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Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they stopped an Israel-linked vessel in the Strait of Hormuz after it was struck by a drone and caught fire, according to state media.
No independent confirmation yet on the ship’s ownership or casualties.
“A drone struck the vessel … linked to the Zionist regime in the Strait of Hormuz; the ship caught fire,” the Guards naval forces post on X, adding that the ship was called the MSC Ishyka.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran has “never refused” to travel to Islamabad for mediation talks, in a post on social media platform X.
He added that Iran is seeking terms that would ensure a “conclusive and lasting end to the illegal war imposed on us”.
Iran's position is being misrepresented by U.S. media.
We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad. What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us.
پاکستان زنده باد pic.twitter.com/AUjBQxOFyA — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 4, 2026
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned strikes on nuclear facilities, warning against attacks on power plants after the Bushehr site was reportedly hit multiple times.
He said targeting such infrastructure could have serious consequences and criticised Western countries for not condemning the incident.
Araghchi also accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking to destroy energy infrastructure vital to civilians.
Remember the Western outrage about hostilities near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine?
Israel-U.S. have bombed our Bushehr plant four times now. Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran.
Attacks on our petrochemicals also convey real objectives. pic.twitter.com/onGCgkJFjt — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 4, 2026
Five European finance ministers have called for a windfall tax on energy companies in response to rising fuel prices linked to the Iran war, according to a letter to the European Commission seen by Reuters.
The proposal comes as oil and gas prices have surged since the conflict began, raising costs for households and businesses across Europe.
Iran has authorised the passage of vessels carrying essential goods to its ports through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a letter cited by Iran's Tasnim news agency on Saturday.
The letter indicates that ships heading to Iranian ports, including those currently in the Gulf of Oman, must coordinate with authorities and comply with established protocols to transit the strait, Tasnim said.
Two drones have struck the Rumaila North oilfield in southern Iraq, wounding three Iraqi workers, security and energy sources say.
There has been no immediate comment from authorities on the incident
Electricity has been cut to all petrochemical facilities in Mahshahr after strikes hit Fajr units 1 and 2, Iranian state media report.
Managers at Persian Gulf Fajr Energy say turbines at the units were knocked offline, halting the power supply and affecting plants that produce key feedstock and fuel.
The disruption follows earlier warnings from the U.S. that it could expand its targets if Iran continued to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it has been informed by Iran that a projectile struck close to the premises of the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Saturday morning.
The agency said no increase in radiation levels had been reported.
Iran also told the IAEA that one member of the site’s physical protection staff was killed by a projectile fragment, and that a building was affected by shockwaves and debris.
There has been no independent confirmation of the details.
Iraq has closed its southern Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran after airstrikes on the Iranian side killed an Iraqi citizen, security sources told Reuters.
The sources gave no further details on the incident.
A projectile has struck near the perimeter of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant in the south-western Khuzestan region, killing one person, Tasnim news agency reports.
There has been no independent confirmation of the report.
Several explosions have been reported at the Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Zone in Iran’s south-western Khuzestan province, Fars news agency says.
Iran’s ISNA news agency says there is a “high chance” of casualties following what it described as a U.S.-Israeli attack on the site.
There has been no independent confirmation of the reports.
The council is expected to vote next week on a Bahrain-drafted resolution aimed at protecting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, diplomats say.
The 15-member body had been due to vote earlier this week, but the meeting was postponed and no new date has been announced.
Iran’s ambassador to Azerbaijan has thanked the Azerbaijani government and people for a delivery of humanitarian aid sent earlier on Saturday (see 06:28 update).
Speaking to journalists, Mojtaba Demirchilou said: "This is the third humanitarian aid shipment dispatched by Azerbaijan to Iran. This delivery is, in fact, a demonstration of solidarity and moral support from the government and people of Azerbaijan."
He described the support as crucial, adding that Iran is currently going through a difficult time.
Demirchilou said the shipment was a clear sign of Azerbaijan’s willingness to support Iran during the war, and that it was the first country to send aid.
More aid is expected to follow.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has urged authorities to escalate their response to the ongoing conflict, Iranian media report.
The group called for “serious and new” threats targeting U.S. infrastructure on American soil, as well as Israeli and Gulf facilities.
The IRGC said it wants retaliation to be “unexpected and escalating”.
A reward is being offered for information on a missing U.S. pilot after a warplane was shot down in Iran, Iranian state media say.
State television has urged people to capture and hand over the pilot unharmed, offering a financial reward for information, according to reports.
The reward is reported to be about $60,000–$66,000 (around 87bn Iranian rials).
Azerbaijan is dispatching a new shipment of humanitarian aid to Iran on the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, following a phone call with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian
The aid is intended to support people in neighbouring Iran, according to Azertag.
The shipment totals 200 tonnes, including food, medicines and medical equipment. Of this, 190 tonnes are food items, seven tonnes are medicines and three tonnes are medical equipment.
The cargo is being transported by 10 trucks.
Iran's regime have executed two men linked to opposition group, People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran. They were also said to have been carrying out armed attacks, domestic media reported.
The executions are the latest in recent days targeting individuals with alleged links to the group.
A fire broke out early on Saturday at storage facilities belonging to foreign oil firms west of Iraq’s Basra, following a drone strike, security sources told Reuters.
Explosions have been heard in Syria’s capital, Damascus, and surrounding areas, according to state TV.
State TV said the blasts may have been caused by Israeli air defences intercepting Iranian missiles.
The cause remains unclear.
Petrol stations in rural Australia have reported running out of fuel as the Easter weekend begins. The country imports around 90% of its fuel and is experiencing a major shortage following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Australians have been advised not to buy more fuel than they need, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said. The government says the country has around 39 days’ worth of petrol, 29 days of diesel and 30 days of jet fuel.
Dubai authorities said on Saturday that no injuries were reported after debris fell in the Internet City area following an aerial interception.
A building belonging to tech firm Oracle was struck, with minor damage reported to its facade.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region, after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps named 18 U.S. companies, including Oracle, as potential targets in retaliation for attacks on Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump has asked lawmakers to approve a $1.5 trillion defence budget, a 40% increase from 2026 levels, as reports say the Iran war is costing Washington around $2 billion a day.
The proposal would fund global security commitments and rebuild weapons stockpiles depleted since the start of the conflict.
Saudi-backed Iran International says Hossein Mohebbi has been appointed as the new spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a key branch of the country’s armed forces.
His reported appointment comes after Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who took power in March, has not appeared in public since his selection, fuelling speculation about his whereabouts.
Hossein Mohebbi was appointed as the new spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), replacing Ali-Mohammad Naeini who was killed in an airstrike last month.
Mohebbi's decree was signed by the Supreme Leader's envoy to the IRGC, Abdollah Haji-Sadeghi. pic.twitter.com/ct6OBcQFfh — Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) April 4, 2026
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed appreciation for the sympathy and support shown by Azerbaijan’s government and people during a phone call with President Ilham Aliyev, according to an official readout.
Aliyev conveyed condolences over the loss of life in Iran and said humanitarian assistance from Azerbaijan would continue, with further aid expected soon. Both leaders also stressed the need for a swift end to the conflict and for peace to be restored in the region.
President Ilham Aliyev has welcomed a message of gratitude from Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, highlighting long-standing ties between the two countries.
Aliyev said in a post on X: "The expression of gratitude by the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, my brother President Masoud Pezeshkian, to the Azerbaijani people and state for the support provided is highly appreciated by our people. Our friendly and brotherly peoples have supported each other for centuries, and we will continue to stand by each other in both good and difficult times."
In a conversation with my brother Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz), I appreciated the sympathy and support of the government and the people of Azerbaijan. Friendly and brotherly nations find each other in hard times, and the deeper the civilizational roots, the stronger this bond. — Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) April 3, 2026
One crew member has been rescued from a F-15E Strike Eagle that was downed in southern Iran, U.S. media report.
The fate of the second crew member remains unclear, with reports that search operations are ongoing, citing two officials.
The rescue operation involved two helicopters and an A-10 Thunderbolt II. One helicopter carrying the rescued pilot was hit by small-arms fire, injuring crew members on board, but it landed safely.
CBS also reported that the A-10 aircraft was hit, with the pilot ejecting over the Gulf before being rescued. Iran’s army has claimed it shot down an A-10, according to state media, although it is unclear whether this refers to the same aircraft.
Verified footage appears to show a U.S. plane and two helicopters searching for the crew in Iran’s Khuzestan province.
There are also reports that the Israeli military paused strikes in the area while the search operation was under way.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump told NBC News “we’re in war”, adding that the incident would not affect any negotiations with Iran.
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The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
People in Tehran celebrated Sizdah Be-dar, the 13th day of Novruz, on Thursday. They picknicked with their families and friends in a park, as the war raged towards the end of its fifth week. Exclusive photos by Touraj Shiralilou.
Iran has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb the country “back to the Stone Age”, calling his remarks an example of “war crimes and genocide.”
International law experts from across the U.S., including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, have signed an open letter saying the strikes on Iran may amount to war crimes. America and Israel began airstrikes on 28 February on Iran's capital, Tehran.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran's energy and transport infrastructure in a social media post containing expletives on Sunday (5 April), as he seperately gave Iran a deadline of Tuesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
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The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United States.
Senegal has taken steps to curb government spending by banning non-essential foreign travel for ministers, as rising global oil prices place increasing pressure on the country’s finances.
President Donald Trump threatened to rain "hell" on Tehran if it did not make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Tuesday deadline, as he praised U.S. special forces who rescued an airman in a high-risk mission from deep inside Iran.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus in a visit that underscores Kyiv’s push to strengthen military ties across the Middle East and promote its military expertise following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.
Iran's military vows more "devastation" over U.S. President Donald Trump's threat over the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, as two people are reportedly killed in Israel after an Iranian a missile strike on Sunday as Trump praised the resuce of an airman in a high-risk mission from inside Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran's energy and transport infrastructure in a social media post containing expletives on Sunday (5 April), as he seperately gave Iran a deadline of Tuesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
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