But in a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said the deadline would now be extended until 6 April, giving both sides more time to negotiate. “Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well,” Mr Trump posted.
Tehran has denied any direct talks are happening.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon was considering sending another 10,000 troops to the Middle East. The potential deployment would probably include infantry and armored vehicles, according to the WSJ. Thousands of US troops have reportedly already been dispatched to the region.
The Trump administration is reportedly considering capturing Iran’s main oil hub, Kharg Island, to pressure the country to open the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil.
Kuwait’s main commercial port damaged in Iran attack
Trump says peace talks with Iran ‘going very well’
Oil prices fall to $107 per barrel in early trade
Israel launches fresh bout of airstrikes on Iran
Iran forbids its sports teams from traveling to ‘hostile’ countries
Trump lashes out at Nato again and claims alliance has done ‘absolutely nothing’ to help in Iran
Iran fired missiles at UAE and Kuwait this morning
Kuwait this morning said its Shuwaikh Port in Kuwait City came under attack and sustained “material damage”.
It said no one was hurt in the attack but offered no other details.
Meanwhile, Bahrain sounded its missile alert siren over an incoming Iranian attack. Qatar, which had not seen a major attack in days, also sounded its alerts this morning.
The United Arab Emirates has told Washington and other western allies that it would participate in a multinational maritime task force intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
India has slashed excise duties on petrol and diesel to protect consumers and rein in a potential spike in inflation, while imposing windfall taxes on aviation fuel and diesel exports, amid volatile global oil markets as a result of the Iran war.
Economists said the tax cuts will hit government finances. Global oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel after the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a conduit for 40 per cent of India’s crude oil imports, since the US and Israel first struck Iran on 28 February.
India’s finance ministry reduced the special excise duty on petrol to Rs3 ($0.0318) per litre from Rs13 earlier. It also cut the duty on diesel to zero from Rs10 per litre.
The government did not say how much the duty cuts would cost. The move comes ahead of elections next month in four Indian states and one federal territory with Indian voters known to be extremely sensitive to higher prices.
Iran has reportedly banned its sports teams from traveling to countries it considers “hostile” amid the ongoing war with US and Israel.
The announcement comes ahead of Traktor Sazi FC’s scheduled football game in Saudi Arabia, Iranian state TV reported.
“The presence of national and club teams in countries that are considered hostile and are unable to ensure the security of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice,” the ministry said.
It singled out the Traktor game against Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai, set to be played in Saudi Arabia in April.
However, the ban announced by Iran’s sports ministry did not mention the World Cup, scheduled to be held from 11 June in the US, Canada and Mexico.
A Thai-flagged cargo ship that came under attack from Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and was abandoned by its crew has run aground, Iranian media reported.
The Mayuree Naree came under attack on 11 March, with three of its mariners going missing and still not found.
The semiofficial Tasnim and Fars news agencies, believed to be close to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reported that the cargo ship ran aground near the village of Ramchah on Qeshm Island.
A view of houses destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in Nabi Chit (Al-Nabi Shayth), Lebanon, on March 26, 2026 (Middle East Images/AFP via Getty)
A Hezbollah flag is seen in a destroyed car after an Israeli airstrike in Nabi Chit (Al-Nabi Shayth), Lebanon, on March 26, 2026 (Middle East Images/AFP via Getty)US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has claimed that Iran possesses the capability to strike London with missiles, underscoring what he described as the global threat posed by Tehran.
His remarks, made during a White House cabinet meeting, followed an incident last Friday where two missiles were fired at the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean which lies approximately 4,000km from Iran.
While the UK Government confirmed both missiles fell short of their intended target, the event has intensified concerns regarding the potential threat to Britain itself from Iran.
More here.
Iran could hit London with a missile, US defence secretary claims
Israel’s military said this morning that it had conducted a wave of strikes “in the heart of Tehran” while smoke was seen billowing in the Beirut skyline.
The attack comes even as US president Donald Trump delayed his threat to obliterate Iran’s energy plants over its effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr Trump yesterday extended his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz until 6 April, saying talks to end the war are “going very well.” Iran continues to publicly insist it is not negotiating with the White House.
The UN security council has scheduled a closed consultation on Iran this morning.
Russia asked for the meeting on US-Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure in the country, two UN diplomats told AP.
The US, which holds the security council presidency, scheduled the meeting.
The Iranian ambassador to Seoul said Tehran sees South Korea as a “non-hostile” state but it would still need to coordinate with Iranian government and military authorities for its ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Ambassador Saeed Koozechi, speaking at an event yesterday denouncing US and Israeli attacks, also said Tehran had requested Seoul to provide details of South Korean vessels stranded in waters near the strait, his embassy said.
He added that Iran, as a direct party in the war, has the right to sanction US and Israeli companies, but did not specify whether it would seek to block South Korean ships trading with the US.
South Korea says 26 of its vessels remain in waters around the Strait of Hormuz.
Rocket trails are seen in the sky amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya on March 27, 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)
Rocket trails are seen in the sky amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya on March 27, 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)
Sir Keir Starmer has suggested Donald Trump’s criticism of him is an attempt to push him to change his stance on the Iran war but vowed not to “buckle” under the pressure.
The prime minister said he had “core values and principles” that were “irreducible” and would not waver on his insistence that Britain will not be dragged into the “wider” conflict beyond defensive action.
It comes after the US president launched a fresh tirade against the UK for the extent of its involvement in the Middle East, saying Sir Keir made “a big mistake” and denigrating British warships as “toys”.
Asked whether Mr Trump’s repeated attacks had made him bristle, the prime minister told Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast: “I think I understand what’s happening, it’s to put pressure on me in different ways.
“But, that pressure isn’t going to make me waver. It’s not going to make me abandon my principles or values, and that’s just the way I am.
“That is not new. That isn’t because of president Trump. I’ve got core values and principles I’ve held all my life, and they’re irreducible.”
Kuwait this morning said it shot down Iranian drones in an attack targeting the small, oil-rich nation.
The United Arab Emirates sounded a missile alert over Dubai around the same time, though there was no sound of an interception heard in the city-state as rain blanketed it.
Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff told a cabinet meeting earlier there were “strong signs” that Tehran was ready to negotiate, confirming publicly for the first time that Washington had passed a 15-point “action list” to Tehran through Pakistani officials.
“We will see where things lead, and if we can convince Iran that this is the inflection point with no good alternatives for them, other than more death and destruction,” Mr Witkoff said.
The US president yesterday pushed back his deadline for strikes on Iran’s energy assets to 6 April, saying the move came following a request from Tehran and that talks on ending the war were “going very well”.
“As per Iranian Government request… I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time,” he posted.
Iran has sent a letter to the UN over claims that the country’s foreign minister and parliament speaker had been “targets for assassination”.
The letter, dated Thursday and signed by ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, focused on media reports that foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf both had been spared for the time being by Israel and the US as negotiations to reach a ceasefire in the war go on.
“The reports indicate the existence of an operational framework contemplating the assassination of the highest-ranking political officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the letter read.
It added that “the conditional nature of the purported ‘suspension’ further underscores that the threat remains real, deliberate and ongoing”.The letter called any such programme “state-sponsored terrorism”.
US Central Command has shared photos of equipment used in its military campaign against Iran, which it has dubbed “Operation Epic Fury”.
A U.S. Air Force F-15E takes off for a combat flight from a base in the Middle East during Operation Epic Fury. pic.twitter.com/umkwWE4efF
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 27, 2026
U.S. Army Soldiers maintain Patriot mobile interceptor missile systems, helping maintain the most extensive air defense umbrella in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/RaPZ4pIJID
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 26, 2026
A U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II refuels mid-air while flying a combat mission during Operation Epic Fury, March 24. pic.twitter.com/rqyLWdwiYU
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 26, 2026
US Senator Richard Blumenthal has said he thinks President Donald Trump is leaning toward putting boots on the ground in Iran.
“I would say the dynamic is toward troops on the ground because the President of United States never sends armed forces to a region without some plan to use them”, the Connecticut Democrat told CNN.
The Pentagon is considering sending another 10,000 troops to the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal has reported, on top of the thousands of service members that have reportedly already been dispatched to the region.
Oil prices fell in early trade this morning after US president Donald Trump said talks with Iran to end the war were going “very well” and announced he would pause attacks on the country’s energy plants for 10 days.
Brent futures fell 90 cents, or 0.8%, to $107.11 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate futures lost 83 cents, or 0.88 per cent, to $93.65 per barrel.
The fall also comes after Mr Trump said Iran allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz this week as a “present” to the US.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio spoke with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) prime minister Masrour Barzani, the state department said, adding he expressed “gratitude” to KRG for enabling oil from Iraq, including from Iraq’s Kurdistan, to reach global markets.
The Iran war has raised oil prices and shaken global markets.
The state department said Mr Rubio “offered his condolences to the families of the Peshmerga killed in an Iranian missile attack on 24 March and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.”
At least six Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were killed and 30 wounded in a rocket attack on their base north of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, a Peshmerga statement said on Tuesday.
Patrick Murphy, a former democratic US congressman and Army veteran, has reacted to President Donald Trump droning on about pens during a Cabinet meeting Thursday as the country is at war against Iran.
“It’s infuriating for those of us who wear the cloth of our country…are you really going to spend five minutes talking about a damn pen?” Murphy told CNN.
Watch Trump’s ramblings about pens here:
Trump spends two minutes ranting about pens while attacking Fed chair Jerome Powell
Matt Gaetz, former Florida congressman turned One America News Network host, said Thursday a ground invasion of Iran will make the US “poorer and less safe”.
“A ground invasion of Iran will make our country poorer and less safe. It will mean higher gas prices, higher food prices. And I’m not sure we would end up killing more terrorists than we would create”, Gaetz said on the first day of the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Oil prices have surged since the US and Israel began striking Iran more than three weeks ago. Iran has effectively closed off the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil.
Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, believes the US should end the war in Iran, telling reporters, “It’s time to come home”, per CBS News.
When asked how soon he’d like to see the US exit the war, Kennedy said, “I can’t answer that because I don’t know to what extent we’ve accomplished our mission”.
In an update Wednesday, Admiral Brad Cooper, the leader of U.S. Central Command, said American forces have hit more than 10,000 military targets since the war began more than three weeks ago.
Iran has banned its sports teams from travelling to countries it considers “hostile”, Iranian state TV reported Thursday ahead of Tractor FC’s scheduled football game in Saudi Arabia.
The ban announced by Iran’s Ministry of Sports in Tehran didn’t mention the World Cup, which starts June 11 in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The ministry’s statement singled out the Tractor game against Shabab Al Ahli of Dubai that was set to be played in Saudi Arabia. It’s a playoff game in the Asian Champions League Elite.
“The presence of national and club teams in countries that are considered hostile and are unable to ensure the security of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice”, it said.
The Iran war has impacted the region, with nearly every country in the Middle East sustaining damage from missile hits, drone strikes or shrapnel.
Read more…
Iran forbids its sports teams from traveling to ‘hostile’ countries
The United Nations’ Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting Friday to discuss US-Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran, two UN diplomats told the Associated Press.
US President Donald Trump has publicly claimed Antony Blinken supported his attacks on Iran but the former secretary of state has denied that happened.
Blinken, who served during former President Joe Biden’s term, scrutinized comments that Trump made during a Republican fundraising dinner Wednesday night.
“I’ve heard that today Blinken made a statement that he should have done it. Thanks a lot Blinken, I appreciate it”, Trump said. “But he came out with the statement that they should have done it, they made a mistake”.
Blinken took to X Thursday, writing that Trump “cited me as supporting his attack on Iran and expressing regret we didn’t do it during the Biden Administration. Except I didn’t”.
Read more…
There will be no press conference with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this week, the Pentagon said, per The New York Times.
Admiral Brad Cooper, the leader of U.S. Central Command, did give a video update Wednesday, in which he said American forces have hit more than 10,000 military targets since the Iran war began more than three weeks ago.
In pictures: A woman holds a portrait of Iran’s late Supreme Leader during a protest outside Iran’s embassy in Beirut, Lebanon
Protesters outside Iran’s embassy in Beirut, Lebanon (AP)
It was the influencer capital of the world, a photogenic playground for the young, glamorous and wealthy. But as Iranian missiles fall on Dubai, the largest and most ostentatiously luxe city in the United Arab Emirates, the facade seems about to crack.
The city once touted as one of the safest places in the world is no longer a peaceful haven. And the UAE government has rushed to try and control the narrative, prompting a huge crackdown on anyone sharing photos of missile attacks and their aftermath. Instead, content creators have been posting uncannily similar photos and videos full of praise, parroting buzzwords about the city’s strong, stable leaders.
How can influencers continue to portray the “Dubai dream” online, when the whole world knows that the city has been mired in conflict? And what about the ordinary people who are being detained for sharing photos and videos that go against the official line?
Katie Rosseinsky has the story…
The ‘Orwellian’ information war being waged to keep the image of the ‘Dubai dream’
US President Donald Trump is considering sending another 10,000 troops to the Middle East amid the Iran war, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday night local time, citing US defense officials.
The potential deployment would probably include infantry and armored vehicles, according to the publication.
The Independent has reached out to the Pentagon for comment.
The US has already sent thousands of Marines and paratroopers to the region to help with the war effort.
US Vice President JD Vance is currently meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, NewsNation White House Correspondent Libbey Dean has reported, citing an unnamed source.
“A range of foreign policy issues are expected to come up, including Iran and Gaza — with talks focused on defense cooperation, protecting energy infrastructure, and collaborating on freedom of navigation, per source”, Dean wrote on X Thursday night.
The Pentagon is developing military options for a “final blow” in Iran that could include the use of ground forces and a massive bombing campaign, two US officials and two sources with knowledge told Axios.
The news outlet reported four potential “final blow” options Trump could choose from:
Invading or blockading Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub.
Invading Larak, an island that helps Iran solidify its control of the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic outpost hosts Iranian bunkers, attack craft that can blow up cargo ships and radars that monitor movements in the strait.
Seizing the strategic island of Abu Musa and two smaller islands, which lie near the western entrance to the strait and are controlled by Iran but also claimed by the UAE.
Blocking or seizing ships that are exporting Iranian oil on the eastern side of the Hormuz Strait.
(AFP via Getty Images) The United States has deployed uncrewed drone speedboats for patrols as part of its operations against Iran, the Pentagon said, the first time Washington has confirmed using such vessels in an active conflict.
The deployment of the vessels — which can be used for surveillance or kamikaze strikes — has not been previously reported. It comes despite a series of setbacks in the US Navy’s years-long effort to field a fleet of uncrewed surface vessels, Reuters reported last year.
Uncrewed vessels have risen to prominence in recent years after Ukraine used explosive-laden speedboats to inflict significant damage on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Iran has used sea drones to attack oil tankers in the Gulf at least twice since the US and Israel began strikes nearly a month ago. There was no indication the US had used uncrewed vessels for offensive strikes.
Iran has banned national and club sports teams from travelling to countries it considers hostile until further notice, Iranian media reports.
The sports ministry said the decision was due to concerns over the safety of Iranian athletes.
“The presence of national and club teams in countries considered hostile and unable to ensure the security of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice,” the ministry said.
The ministry added that the Football Federation and clubs were required to notify the Asian Football Confederation to relocate match venues.
Donald Trump says he is extending his deadline to Iran to agree to negotiations, under threat of destroying its energy plants, by another three days.
The US president is giving the Tehran regime until Monday. The previous deadline had been tomorrow, Friday, after giving five days’ notice.
He wrote on Truth Social: “As per Iranian Government request, please let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time.
“Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.”
Iran has denied taking part in peace talks.
France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot has said they believe Russia is aiding Iran’s military effort in a way that is being used against the US.
“Everything leads us to believe that Russia is aiding Iran’s military effort that is being used against American targets,” he said on Thursday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and reports from The Financial Times, citing western intelligence, have made similar allegations against Russia.
(AP)
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Thursday he thinks Russia is primarily concentrating on its war with Ukraine rather than on aiding Iran.
Rubio was asked about Moscow’s support for Tehran as he departed Washington for France, where he will meet counterparts from G7 countries for talks expected to include the wars in Ukraine and Iran.