U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was talking to the right people in Iran to make a deal on Tuesday (24 March), as Pakistan's Prime Minister offered to host peace talks between the two countries to bring about an end to the conflict.
Join us again tomorrow for the latest in the Middle East conflict. You can find a recap of all the key development from today below.
Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said on Tuesday that the U.S. and Israel attacked the area around Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, state media reported. It said there were no casualties or technical damage to the plant, based on initial reports
Iran told International Maritime Organisation member states that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with Iranian authorities, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing a letter.
Iraq's National Security Council has authorised the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a mostly Iranian-backed coalition of Shi'ite armed groups, to exercise the right of self-defence and respond to any attacks targeting their positions, state media reported on Tuesday.
The green light from the National Security Council, chaired by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, followed a deadly attack on PMF headquarters that killed at least 15 fighters, including a commander.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday told reporters the United States was talking to "the right people" in Iran in order to reach an agreement to end hostilities, adding that the Iranians want to reach a deal very badly.
U.S. Central Command
U.S. forces have destroyed more than 9,000 military targets inside Iran, since the beginning of the conflict, U.S. Central Command said in a post on X on Tuesday.
The strikes have "significantly" removed the Iranian regime's combat capability, the post added.
The UK and France are working on a proposal to lead a coalition of countries in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The plan, which would require U.S. support, would see uncrewed systems hunt and destroy mines in the sea passage.
The Pentagon is set to send thousands of troops from the elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, two officials told Reuters on Tuesday. Their arrival would add to the huge military build-up in the region, even as U.S. President Trump seeks talks with Iran.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not specify where in the Middle East the troops would be deployed or when they would arrive in the region.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed that an individual killed in an Iranian attack on Bahrain was a Moroccan national working as a civillian contractor for the UAE's armed forces. Five other UAE military personnel were also injured in the attack, as well as a number of troops from Bahrain, the UAE said.
The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised Iran in a statement on social media, branding the incident an "unprovoked terrorist attack" and a "flagrant violation of international law."
Speaking in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye was putting all its efforts into creating peace in the U.S-Israeli conflict with Iran.
"We are determined to keep our country out of the circle of fire. We absolutely do not want the war to turn into a war of attrition among the countries of the region," Erdoğan said, adding that the conflict had hit the Turkish and global economy.
Traders placed more than $500 million in oil bets just 15 minutes before U.S. President Donald Trump announced a five-day delay to strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, triggering a sharp market sell-off, exchange data and Reuters calculations show.
Brent crude plunged as much as 15% within minutes of the post, as investors reacted to signs of possible de-escalation and renewed talks between Washington and Tehran.
Despite the drop, oil prices remain over 40% higher than pre-conflict levels.
An Iranian missile was intercepted over Lebanese airspace for the first time on Tuesday, three senior Lebanese security sources said, with two of them saying a foreign naval vessel was responsible for the interception.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been pushing U.S. President Donald Trump to continue the conflict with Iran, the New York Times (NYT) reported on Tuesday.
Bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, sees a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East, the NYT said, citing people briefed by American officials on the conversations.
They said the Prince conveyed to Trump that he must press towards the destruction of Iran’s "hard-line" government.
Israel's Deputy Director General for the UN, Nina Ben-Ami, has urged the UN's children's aid agency to condemn what it describes as "indiscriminate ballistic missile attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran" against civilians, including the "illegal use of cluster munitions."
According to Israel's Foreign Ministry, 18 children have been wounded by Iranian missiles since the start of the conflict with Iran.
The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions. Neither Iran nor Israel has signed the treaty.
Wang Yi called on parties in the Middle East conflict to start peace talks as soon as possible in a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
"All hotspot issues should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, not by using force," Wang Yi said.
The town of Sahel Alma, north of the Lebanese capital Beirut was attacked on Tuesday, according to Lebanese state media.
There were no immediate reports of casualties in the Christian town, that has previously not been targeted in the expanding fighting between Israel and armed group Hezbollah.
Witnesses in the area told Reuters they heard several blasts and saw white smoke rising from the settlement.
International beer brewers in India have warned of price rises, due to a shortage of gas amid the Iran conflict.
As the world's fourth-largest importer of natural gas, India is especially vulnerable to fuel availability and relies heavily on the Middle East for shipments, sourcing about 40% of its supply from Qatar.
Iranian attacks have partially disrupted Qatar's export capacity, tightening gas availability for manufacturers in India.
Nechirvan Barzani, President of Iraq's Kurdistan region, has blamed Iran for a rocket attack on a base north of Erbil in Iraqi Kuristan that that killed six people and wounded 30 others early on Tuesday.
"We strongly condemn the Iranian missile attack that targeted the positions of our Peshmerga forces on the Suran border today, resulting in the martyrdom and wounding of several of our brave Peshmerga," Barzani said in a post on X.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the country "stands ready" to host or facilitate talks between Iran and the U.S. to bring about an end to the conflict. Sharif tagged U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in the post with the proposition on X.
You can find out more about the development below.
Iran would demand guarantees against future military action, compensation for losses incurred during the conflict and formal control of the Strait of Hormuz if serious negotiations between the Iran and U.S. were to take place, Reuters reports, citing three senior sources in Tehran.
The concessions are likely to be red lines for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Iran's negotiating posture has changed since the beginning of the conflict, with the hardline Revolutionary Guards exerting more influence over decision making, according to the report.
The sources added that Iran would reuse to negotiate any limitations to its ballistic missile programme, an issue that had already been a red line for Tehran during talks that were taking place when the U.S. and Israel launched their attack at the end of February.
Beirut's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided additional details about its decision to expel Iranian Ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheibani.
In a statement posted on X, the Ministry accused Sheibani of meddling in internal affairs by criticising decisions taken by the Lebanese government and by holding meetings with "unofficial Lebanese parties."
The Ministry said that Sheibani had violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations through his actions.
The decision "does not constitute a severance of diplomatic relations with Iran at all," the Ministry said, adding that it "always strives to maintain the best relations of friendship with the Islamic Republic of Iran."
You can read more about the expulsion below.
Hezbollah will fight any efforts by Israel to occupy south Lebanon, Hassan Fadlallah, a lawmaker from the Lebanese armed group, told Reuters on Tuesday.
Fadallah said any occupation would pose an "existential threat" to Lebanon as a state.
Israel's Defence Minister said earlier on Tuesday that he had instructed the military to establish a "security zone" south of the Litani River, which runs about 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the Israeli border.
Read more below.
A Shakira concert due to take place in the Qatari capital Doha on 1 April has been postponed due to the "current regional situation," Visit Qatar said in a social media post on Tuesday.
Meanwhile in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi's Offlimits Music Festival, which was set to be headlined by Shakira and the Jonas Brothers on 4 April, has been postponed until November, according to UAE ticketing platform Platinumlist.
Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar has given a positive reaction to Lebanon's expulsion of Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani. In a statement on X, Sa'ar said he welcomed the move, describing it as a "justified and necessary step against a state responsible for violating Lebanon's sovereignty."
A state of national energy emergency has been declared in the Philippines, in response to the Iran conflict. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said fighting in the Middle East posed an "imminent danger" to the energy supply in the country of approximately 115 million in southeast Asia.
Marcos Jr added that a committee had been formed to ensure the supply and distribution of fuel, food, medicines, agricultural products and other essential goods.
Iranian Ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, has been declared persona non grata and ordered to leave Lebanon by Sunday (29 March), Beirut's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X on Tuesday.
Iran's Chargé d'Affaires in Lebanon, Tawfiq Samadi Khoshkhu, was informed of the decision, the Ministry added.
According to the post on X, the Ministry also summoned the Lebanese Ambassador to Iran for discussions, citing Tehran's "violation of diplomatic norms and established protocols."
Read more about the development below.
Iran's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, has requested a debate at the UN Human Rights Council about a deadly air strike on a primary school on the first day of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
"A strike on a functioning school during class hours represents a grave assault on children, on education, and on the future of the entire community," Bahreini said in a letter to the Council President dated 23 March.
The attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab, southern Iran on 28 February consisted of two missile strikes in quick succession that killed 168 children, mostly girls, Iranian officials said.
Reuters reported on 5 March that Washington's military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible, but they have not yet reached a final conclusion or completed their investigation. The Pentagon has since elevated the probe.
Qatar is not currently mediating any negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, Doha's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Majed Al Ansari, said during a media briefing in the Qatari capital on Tuesday.
His remarks come after U.S. President Donald Trump delayed strikes on Iran, saying that Washington was in talks with Tehran. Iran has denied that any such negotiations are taking place.
Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr has been named the new Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the Iranian President's Deputy of Communications said in a post on X on Tuesday. He replaces Ali Larijani, who was killed in an Israeli air strike last week.
Humanitarian organisation the Iran Red Crescent Soceity say there has been damage to 292 relief centres and hospitals in the country due to the conflict and missiles from U.S. and Israel.
The head of Kenya’s independent fuel retailers told Reuters that hundreds of dealers were running short due to the Iran war, saying about 20% of the outlets were affected after the regulator froze pump prices despite rising global oil costs.
Martin Chomba, chairman of the Petroleum Outlets Association of Kenya represents independent retailers, transporters and others, serving 68% of the national market, said dealers are likely to start hoarding petroleum products in anticipation of consumer fuel price hikes next month.
In a statement on Tuesday, Iran's police information centre said 566 arrests followed “intelligence and technical monitoring” in recent days.
They are accused of undermining security and engaging in online activities linked to what they described as U.S. and Israeli efforts to create instability including “spreading public fear and anxiety”, “promoting in favour of the enemy", and “organising disruptive elements in cyberspace.”
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Tuesday asked his Omani counterpart for support on crude oil and LNG supplies, Cho's office said, due to shipment disruptions linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
Internet observatory site NetBlocks has monitored a 576 hour blackout for the majority of Iran's citizens
⚠️ Update: #Iran's internet blackout has entered its 25th day after 576 hours, leaving the public isolated from the world as whitelisted accounts seek to take control of the narrative. The measure leaves civilians without vital updates and without a voice on the global stage. pic.twitter.com/64N51Is1bS — NetBlocks (@netblocks) March 24, 2026
Bahrain has put forward a blunt resolution draft forcing countries to act, whereas France laid a softer draft. Find out more:
Israeli official told Ynet that Washington has set 9 April as a target date for ending the war, leaving about 21 days for continued fighting and negotiations.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has issued evacuation warnings to residential areas of southern Lebanon. It follows reports from state-run media that several neighbourhoods in southern Beirut were targeted by Israeli airstrikes overnight.
Missiles have been fired in Israel's capital overnight hours after Donald Trump said the war was de-escalating. Iran guards called his words "worn out".
Read our full digest on the latest in the Middle East conflict here:
South East Asian country's president, Bongbong Marcos has said it is a "distinct possibility" the country may have to ground planes due to a shortage of jet fuel brought on by the U.S.-Israeli war.
White House says no formal meetings between Iran and the U.S. have been confirmed.
At a White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "This is a fluid situation, and speculation about meetings should not be deemed as final until they are formally announced by the White House".
Pakistan has offered to be a host country for mediation talks.
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) will begin behind closed doors in Lahore and Karachi, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday (March 23), citing a fuel shortage caused by the war in Iran.
The franchise-based Twenty20 league has also cancelled its opening ceremony and reduced venues from six to two to limit travel during the crisis.
After intially dropping on Monday, oil prices rose overnight on supply fear, as Iran denied it had talks with the United States to end the war in the Gulf.
Brent futures rose $4, or 4%, to $103.94 a barrel at 0400 GMT.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel should extend its border with Lebanon up to the Litani River deep inside the country's south. It comes as Israel bombed bridges and continues to destroy homes in the country.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on the country on Tuesday to join an energy saving campaign in response to concerns about oil and gas supply because of the Iran war, and said public institutions will cut back operating passenger cars.
Airstrikes targeting a site belonging to Iraq's Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces in the western province of Anbar killed at least 10 fighters, including the PMF's Anbar operations commander, and wounded 30 others.
The PMF confirmed in a statement the death of its Anbar commander, Saad al-Baiji, and several of his companions. It accused the United States of carrying out the attack, saying a U.S. airstrike targeted a command headquarters while personnel were on duty.
Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to cancel 23 flights per week across several domestic routes from April because of looming jet fuel shortages, Vietnam's aviation authority said.
Many airlines flying into Gulf hubs like Dubai have suspended some flights until May.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said she was "deeply concerned" and says we all feel the knock on effects of the Strait of Hormuz being effectively closed.
Japan plans to start releasing oil from joint stockpiles held by producing nations in the country by the end of March, Prime Minister Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a post on social media website X on Tuesday.
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced doubts about the effectiveness of the U.S. and Israeli military campaign in Iran, warning that the conflict risks becoming prolonged and increasingly complex.
G7 foreign ministers have condemned attacks on civilians in the Iran war and demanded the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has rejected an offer of negotiations from the U.S. President, Donald Trump, amid the ongoing Israel–U.S. war with Iran, describing the proposal as a “contradiction” in Washington’s words and actions.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he would pause attacks on Iran's energy plants for 10 days at Tehran's request and said talks with Iran were going "very well," although an Iranian official dismissed a U.S. proposal for ending nearly four weeks of fighting as "one-sided and unfair."
The involvement of Yemen’s Houthis has heightened regional tensions as the Iran-aligned group joins the conflict. The U.S. says it is hopeful of holding talks with Iran in the coming days, while Tehran has said that "talking and bombing is intolerable". Welcome to our live coverage of the conflict.
Turkish military personnel participating in NATO’s mission in Iraq have been “successfully” withdrawn from the country, the Turkish Defence Ministry announced on Thursday.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Hamas would have to allow its vast network of tunnels in Gaza to be destroyed as it gives up its weapons over eight months, under a disarmament plan drawn up by the U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced doubts about the effectiveness of the U.S. and Israeli military campaign in Iran, warning that the conflict risks becoming prolonged and increasingly complex.
More than 372,000 people were left without electricity in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan after heavy rain triggered severe flooding, officials said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said his government will absorb a 56bn-rupee fuel subsidy to shield people from rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict.
The involvement of Yemen’s Houthis has heightened regional tensions as the Iran-aligned group joins the conflict. The U.S. says it is hopeful of holding talks with Iran in the coming days, while Tehran has said that "talking and bombing is intolerable". Welcome to our live coverage of the conflict.
AnewZ has released the official trailer for its upcoming original documentary, Halfway Across, an investigation into the systems behind illegal migration.
Hamas would have to allow its vast network of tunnels in Gaza to be destroyed as it gives up its weapons over eight months, under a disarmament plan drawn up by the U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
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