Pezeshkian: the world at a crossroads, continuing the war is costly and unnecessary

Bahrain released a revised draft resolution in the UN Security Council on the protection of commercial maritime traffic in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The text retains the wording authorising 'all necessary means', but removes the explicit reference to binding enforcement. This was reported by diplomatic sources at the Glass Palace. The initial draft, supported by other Gulf Arab states as well as the US, explicitly invoked Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which allows the Security Council to authorise measures ranging from sanctions to the use of military force. According to sources, the adoption of such a resolution would have been unlikely, as Iran's partners - Russia and China - would have vetoed it. The revised text instead eliminates the reference to Chapter VII.

US President Donald Trump, in his address to the nation tonight (3am Italian time), will reiterate the prediction of 2-3 weeks to conclude the military operation in Iran. This was reported to The Hill by a White House official. Trump will again emphasise the military successes in achieving - and in some cases exceeding - all goals set.

The State Department offered a three million dollar reward for anyone providing information about attacks on US diplomatic sites in Iraq. Since the start of the war against Iran, the embassy in Baghdad, the consulate in Erbil and the Diplomatic Support Centre in Baghdad have been hit. "If you have information on pro-Iranian militias or others responsible for these attacks, send us your suggestions today. Your information may pave the way for relocation and an award," reads the notice from the State Department's Rewards for Justice programme.

US Vice-President JD Vance has been in contact with Iran war brokers. This is reported by Reuters citing sources, according to which the vice-president has confidentially let it be known that Donald Trump would favour a ceasefire provided certain American demands were met, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Vance also reported that Trump is losing patience.

"We are shocked by the dramatic situation in Lebanon, where there are already 1.2 million internally displaced persons, or about 25% of the total population. Israeli military operations in Lebanon and attacks by Hezbollah must cease. We urge Israel to fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon and call on all parties, both Hezbollah and Israel, to suspend military actions." This was stated in a joint statement by the ministers of Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Italia, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Spain and Sweden.

Iran today launched the largest missile attack against Israel since the beginning of the war. This was reported by the Times of Israel, reporting about a dozen ballistic missiles fired by Tehran into central Israel. Haaretz pointed out that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) gave the go-ahead to leave the shelters after 30 uninterrupted minutes of warning sirens. According to IDF reports, most of the missiles were intercepted, while some were dropped in open areas, 'according to protocol'. One missile, apparently with a cluster warhead, dispersed small bombs in central Israel.

A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that US President Donald Trump's claim that Tehran has called for a ceasefire is false and unfounded. This was reported by Iranian media citing Iran's state television.

Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said today that just as "there is no NATO without the United States, there is also no strong America without allies". The Polish minister called on leaders to "keep calm", following US President Donald Trump's statements about a possible US withdrawal from the Atlantic Alliance. "The world today is focused more on the Middle East, but the security of the Eastern flank of NATO does not take a back seat. Poland plays a key role in building the security architecture of the region. We are steadily and independently strengthening both our strength and that of our alliance,' Kosiniak-Kamysz said, as reported by the British newspaper The Guardian.

"No negotiations are taking place between the US and Iran". Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told Al Jazeera. "Sometimes countries exchange messages through other countries, but this is not a negotiation," he explained, "We have received direct and indirect messages from the American side. Where necessary, we have responded. But this is not a negotiation. Claims to the contrary are not correct'.

"We do not accept a ceasefire. We demand an end to the war in Iran and throughout the region,' Araghchi added. "We demand guarantees that such aggression will not be repeated," the Iranian diplomatic chief pointed out, "We demand compensation for the damage caused to us and the Iranian people. "At the moment there is no basis for negotiation and there is no negotiation. Confidence is at zero,' he concluded, 'There is no confidence that negotiations with the United States can lead to concrete results.

The United States will 'exit Iran rather quickly' and could return there for 'targeted attacks' if necessary. This was said by Donald Trump in an interview with Reuters.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to the country's enemies. They said this in a statement broadcast on state TV. "The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is firmly and fully under the control of our naval forces." US President Donald Trump said he would only consider a ceasefire with the opening of Hormuz.

Navi da carico nel Golfo, nei pressi dello Stretto di Ormuz, viste dalla zona settentrionale di Ras al-Khaimah, vicino al confine con la provincia di Musandam dell’Oman, sullo sfondo del conflitto tra Stati Uniti, Israele e Iran, negli Emirati Arabi Uniti, 11 marzo 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/Foto d'archivio

US President Donald Trump has reiterated to the Reuters news agency that he is 'absolutely' considering withdrawing the US from NATO, and in his address to the nation tonight, at 3am Italian time, he will express his 'disgust' with the Alliance.

An overwhelming majority of Americans do not support sending ground troops into Iran, with 62% saying they disputed and 24% saying they uncertain, while only 14% say they support it. This is the finding of the Economist-You Gov poll, reported today by the Washington Post, which also cites the Ipsos and Ap-Norc survey according to which only one American supports sending troops versus four who are against. It is also interesting to note that even among the Republicans, opposition to military escalation of a conflict that Donald Trump promised would take only a few weeks. Tiepid with respect to ground operations is the more Trumpian base, with 40% of voters who call themselves Maga voters who support sending troops, with 27% who instead oppose. But among non-Maga Republican voters, opposition to ground troops reaches 60%, with just 30-37% supporting it.

Iran controls the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a fact the US cannot dispute, despite all the military forces concentrated in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said today.

"The passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz is currently controlled by Tehran. This is an objective reality that, however much they may wish otherwise, not even the US can question, despite all the military power it has accumulated in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean,' Zakharova said at a briefing.

"Preventing US fighter jets from landing at Sigonella is an intelligent choice, based on international law and the protection of Italy's interests and independence": thus the Iranian embassy in Italia in a post on X, publishing the message of the Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, who had yesterday explained, also on X, the failure to give the green light to the landing of US aircraft.

"No 'technical agreement' or old treaty (1954) can justify facilitating American-Zionist crimes against humanity in the bombing of schools, hospitals, universities and the Iranian population," the embassy stated.

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's National Security Committee, warned that the US would not regain access to the Strait of Hormuz and that from now ononly "those who comply" with the conditions imposed by Iran would be allowed to cross this strategic strait.

'The Strait of Hormuz will certainly reopen, but not for you; it will only be open to those who comply with Iran's new laws,' Azizi wrote on X, without specifying what these new conditions are.

Donald Trump announced on Truth that Iran has asked the US for 'a ceasefire'. "We will think about it when the Strait of Hormuz is open and free," the tycoon said, adding that in the meantime the attacks continue.

Paris 'takes no part' in the war: this is French President Emmanuel Macron's response to US President Donald Trump's criticism of support for the Iran operation.

The US leader had accused France of being "very uncooperative" on the Iranian nuclear dossier, including the ban on overflights. Macron reiterated, according to France Presse sources, that the French position remains that of non-participation in the conflict.

The United Arab Emirates has banned the entry and transit of all Iranian citizens, including those with valid visas, whether for residence or tourism. This is according to Flydubai and Emirates notices posted on their websites, as travel agencies report a growing number of visa applications rejected since 28 February. "Iranian nationals are not permitted entry and transit," Emirates and Flydubai stated on their websites. Exceptions are made for UAE residents who are spouses of Emirati nationals, children of Emirati women or "athletes, bank executives, doctors, family members, engineers, investors, high-level professionals or traders". The restrictions are the latest sign of deteriorating relations between Iran and the UAE more than a month after the conflict began. Iranian retaliation led Abu Dhabi to close its embassy in Tehran and recall its ambassador, while Iranian-linked entities including a hospital, schools and a community centre were closed in Dubai. The Emirates are home to a sizeable Iranian community and before the war were one of Iran's main trading partners, subject to US sanctions.

"The impact of the conflict in the Middle East is increasingly devastating, both on the population and on humanitarian workers. Today we mourn three colleagues, Dr Somayeh Mir Abo Eshagh, a 44-year-old Iranian Red Crescent (Ircs) volunteer who tragically lost her life in an air raid while on duty on 27 March, Alireza Sohbatloo, also an Ircs worker, who died in an air raid yesterday, 31 March, while providing support at a medical clinic in Zanjan, and Alireza Sohbatlou, a 35-year-old humanitarian aid worker with the Ircs, who was killed in an air raid in the north-western province of Zanjan on 31 March. Four Iranian Red Crescent colleagues lost their lives while carrying out their humanitarian work. It is a real tragedy'. With these words full of regret, the president of the Italian Red Cross, Rosario Valastro, announced the death of the three colleagues of the Iranian sister organisation. "Day after day, the human cost of this conflict becomes greater. Our colleagues in Iran and throughout the Middle East are working to help the population. But we cannot accept that their dedication, their commitment to supporting those in need, exposes them to the possibility of having their lives snatched away. These women and men are struck without any respect for the Emblem they wear, for their work and for the mission they undertake on a daily basis: to alleviate the suffering of those in need. In the face of these continuous violations of International Humanitarian Law, we will never tire of repeating that the civilian population, health posts and humanitarian workers should not be the target of attacks,' the Cri president concluded.

'The Strait of Hormuz will definitely reopen, but not for you'. Thus the chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee Ebrahim Azizi addressed the United States in a post on 'X'. The Strait of Hormuz, he added, ''will only be open to those who will comply with Iran's new laws''. Tehran's parliament recently approved to introduce a toll for ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Azizi then mocked US President Donald Trump, writing in 'X': ''Trump has finally realised his dream of 'regime change', but in the region's maritime regime!''

A 'military council' composed of senior officers of the Pasdaran has reportedly effectively seized power in Iran by vetoing any decisions of the President Masoud Pezeshkian isolating him from the Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, their close ally. Iran International writes this. According to the London-based publication, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Ahmad Vahidi, rejected all candidates proposed by Pezeshkian for the role of intelligence minister after the death of Esmaeil Khatib. According to sources, therefore, President Pezeshkian is currently in a 'total political stalemate'. Moreover, the Pasdaran have allegedly placed a 'security cordon' around Khamenei preventing any contact between him and Pezeshkian, despite the president's repeated requests, which have gone unanswered.

Asked at a press conference about Donald Trump's statements regarding the possibility of withdrawing from Nato, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended the organisation: 'Nato is the most effective military alliance the world has ever known,' he said. 'We are fully committed to Nato,' he added, declaring that the treaty 'has guaranteed our security for decades'. "This is not our war, we will not be dragged down," he continued, reiterating the need to "strengthen our ties with Europe".

To this end, Keir Starmer announced a European summit to be held 'in the coming weeks' to decide on 'more ambitious' economic and security cooperation and to conclude 'a partnership that recognises our shared values, interests and future, for the dangerous world in which we must navigate together'.

New Israeli-American attacks on Iranian steel plants: according to local media reports, the Mobarakeh complex, one of the largest in the country, in the province of Isfahan, was hit for the second time last night. A company of the Mobarakeh group, Sefiddasht Steel Industrial Complex, in the south-eastern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, was also hit. In a note, the Mobarakeh Steel group reported 'extensive damage and substantial destruction of production units' at the Isfahan site and 'damage to production units' at the site in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari.

Further reading

Iran, Axios: US considers sending troops to seize uranium stockpile

08 March 2026

The US President, Donald Trump, has again rebuked the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, for refusing to contribute to the war against Iran. "You don't even have a navy," he said, speaking to the British Telegraph newspaper, "You are too old and you have aircraft carriers that don't work. Asked whether Starmer should increase defence spending, the president clarified that he had 'no intention of telling him what to do. He can do what he wants, it doesn't matter." "All Starmer wants are expensive windmills that are skyrocketing energy prices," he concluded.

US President Donald Trump is seriously considering US withdrawal from NATO in light of the Alliance's failure to join the Iran war. Trump himself said this in an interview with the Telegraph. Asked about the willingness to reconsider the US membership of the Alliance after the war in the Middle East, Trump said: 'Yes there's no question'. "I've always known it's a paper tiger and Putin knows it too," he added.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host a summit of international leaders to discuss plans to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. This was announced at a press conference by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer reiterated that London will not get involved in the Middle East conflict and that the best way to deal with the rising cost of living is to promote de-escalation and ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. "All available diplomatic avenues are being explored," he added.

German institutions halved their forecast for German growth in 2026 to 0.6 per cent, down from 1.3 per cent about six months ago. The energy shock caused by the war in Iran weighed on the downward revision.

The Qatari Defence Ministry reported that an oil tanker chartered by the QatarEnergy company was hit by an Iranian missile in Qatari territorial waters. This was reported by the Times of Israel. Qatar was reportedly targeted by three missiles from Iran, two of which were intercepted, while the third hit the tanker Aqua 1, causing no casualties. The vessel, located 31 kilometres north of the Ras Laffan industrial hub, sustained damage above the waterline, but no environmental impact was reported.

A general strike is underway in parts of the West Bank to protest a law passed Monday by the Knesset that provides for the death penalty by hanging as the default sanction for Palestinians in the West Bank convicted of deadly terrorist acts. The strike was announced yesterday by the Fatah movement of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and is being observed in the West Bank areas ruled by the Palestinian Authority.

Oil prices fell in the wake of hopes for an end to the US-Iran war and the easing of tensions in the Middle East. Brent - the European benchmark - is at 100 dollars a barrel (-4.07%). Wti is trading at 97.78 dollars a barrel (-4.71%).

The Israeli army claimed today to have killed in an attack conducted yesterday in western Iran a commander of the Lebanese Quds Force corps of the Iranian Guardians of the Revolution. The commander, Mahdi Vafaei, had headed the corps' engineering branch for 20 years and was responsible for setting up underground weapons storage sites in Lebanon and Syria.

At least seven people were killed in air raids conducted by the Israeli military on the Beirut area of Lebanon. This was stated by the Lebanese Health Ministry, while Israel reported hitting Hezbollah targets.

An air raid in Tehran on Wednesday morning apparently hit the former US embassy compound, under the control of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards since the 1979 hostage crisis. The Basij run the complex. Witnesses saw shattered windows around the huge complex on Taleghani Street in Tehran even though there was no visible missile attack near the complex. The hostage crisis, which lasted 444 days, saw American diplomats held captive until President Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter's successor, took office in 1981.

A future of 'indefinite war' against all 'perceived threats' is - according to the Financial Times - the new doctrine of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Enough with the containment of threats," the prime minister declared in a recent speech to military officers about to graduate. "Enough with the idea of a 'villa in the jungle', where you hide from the predators on the other side of the wall. On the contrary: if you do not go into the jungle, the jungle will come to you,' he added. In this vision, it is explained, Israel must launch what it calls a 'pre-emptive' war against any perceived threat; conquer territories from neighbouring countries to create 'buffer zones' between its enemies and its citizens; and constantly employ force as the only real guarantee of security.

Further reading

The illusion of the blitzkrieg: why Trump and Netanyahu remained prisoners of Iran

09 March 2026

Iran's representative to the United Nations Saeed Iravani protested against threats by US President Donald Trump, who said on Monday that the US will destroy the country's infrastructure and Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf if it fails to reach an agreement with Iran. "Such a brazen and outrageous statement will cause a humanitarian catastrophe... and will be considered a war crime; the United States will take full responsibility for its consequences," Iravani said in a letter sent to the UN Security Council last night, urging the UN "to prevent any such action and to hold the United States accountable for such threats and coercive measures."

The Israeli military confirmed that the Air Force has carried out more than 800 operational sorties since Israel and the US announced operations against Iran on 28 February. Some 16,000 munitions of different types have been deployed, they pointed out. The 'targeted' attacks against targets of the Iranian 'terrorist regime' will continue.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in a message to Lebanese Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem, promised to continue supporting the Iranian-backed group against the US and Israel. "Iran will wholeheartedly support the resistance movement," the message added, Mehr reported.

Further reading

The Litani River between Lebanon and Israel: strategic focus of the conflict with Hezbollah

24 March 2026

Yemeni Houthi militiamen claimed a new missile attack against Israel, the third since they entered the war on Saturday alongside Iran, explaining that they conducted it in coordination with Iran and Hezbollah. The Houthis "conducted their third military operation targeting sensitive Israeli enemy targets with a barrage of ballistic missiles," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a video message. "This operation was conducted jointly with our mujahideen brothers in Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon," he added.

Growing tensions between the Pezeshkian administration and the Iranian military leadership have pushed the president into a 'complete political stalemate', with the Revolutionary Guards effectively taking control of key state functions. This was reported to Iran International by informed sources, who also said that the president had requested a meeting, which was denied, with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. But even within the new religious leader's inner circle there are allegedly strong tensions. According to Iran International, the Revolutionary Guards have blocked presidential appointments and decisions, erecting a security perimeter around the centre of power and effectively marginalising the government from executive control.

Pezeshkian's attempts to appoint a new intelligence minister on Thursday failed under direct pressure from the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards, Ahmad Vahidi, according to sources familiar with the situation told Iran International. All proposed candidates, including Hossein Dehghan, were rejected. Vahidi is said to have insisted that, given the conditions of war, all critical and sensitive leadership positions should be selected and managed directly by the Revolutionary Guards until further notice. In the Iranian political system, presidents traditionally appoint intelligence ministers only after obtaining the approval of the Supreme Leader, who holds ultimate authority over key security portfolios. However, with Supreme Guide Mojtaba Khamenei's terms and position uncertain in recent weeks, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Irgc) is effectively preventing the president from promoting his preferred candidate, further consolidating its grip on the state security apparatus.

The Idf has eliminated the head of military engineering of the Lebanese Quds Forces in Iran, engineer Mehdi Wafai. An Idf spokesman reported this, adding that Wafai, during his 20 years as head of military engineering, had promoted "underground projects" in Lebanon and Syria. In addition, he managed dozens of tunnels in Lebanon used for storing weapons.

The Iranian foreign minister confirmed that he received direct messages from the US envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. "I receive messages directly from Witkoff, as before, and this does not mean that we are in negotiations," he said in an interview with Al Jazeera. "We have no confidence that negotiations with the United States will lead to results. The level of confidence is zero," he added. As for a possible US ground operation. "We are waiting for them. We are fully prepared for any kind of ground attack. We hope they will not make such a mistake,' he concluded.

At least 14 people were injured, including a child in serious condition, following the Iranian ballistic missile attack on central Israel this morning. This concerns an 11-year-old girl hit by shrapnel. Major injuries were also sustained by a 36-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy, who were also involved in the explosions. A further 11 people were treated for minor injuries.

In the night, Donald Trump said he believes the military operation in Iran will end 'in 2-3 weeks'. "We will finish the job," announced the president, who has moved the date of the conflict several times since 28 February.

Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and central Israel for the second time in a matter of minutes, due to missiles fired from Iran. Loud deflagrations were heard in Tel Aviv.

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran is not obliged to agree to a deal to end the ongoing US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic. "No, the Iranians are not obliged to reach an agreement," Trump said while answering questions from reporters at the White House in the night. "When we feel they are relegated to the stone age and are unable to develop a nuclear weapon, then we will leave, with or without an agreement," he said. "It's irrelevant now," he added.

"Maybe a long time from now, they will be able to build a nuclear weapon, and we will have a president like me, who will go there and tear them apart again," Trump said, acknowledging that the ongoing war with Iran might not be final.

Only three weeks ago, Trump had stated the opposite, saying he wanted to 'make sure we don't have to go back every 10 years, when there won't be a president like me who won't do that'.

Il presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald J. Trump firma un decreto presidenziale sull'integrità elettorale nello Studio Ovale della Casa Bianca a Washington, DC, USA, il 31 marzo 2026. Il decreto impone al governo federale, tramite il Servizio postale degli Stati Uniti, di fornire agli Stati i dati relativi all'idoneità degli elettori. EPA/AARON SCHWARTZ / POOL

A Bangladeshi citizen was killed by fragments of a drone launched from Iran and intercepted in the United Arab Emirates. This was reported by the Wam news agency, explaining that the fragments fell on a farm in the Al Rifaa area.

The United Arab Emirates is preparing to help the United States and other allies forcibly open the Strait of Hormuz, Arab officials said, a move that would make it the first Persian Gulf country to become a combatant party after being hit by Iranian attacks. The Wall Street Journal writes this. The UAE, the US media outlet reports, is pressing the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution authorising such action, the officials added.

Further reading

Currencies, how the war in the Gulf puts the (petro)dollar at risk

31 March 2026

The United States will have to ''reassess'' its relationship with NATO once the war against Iran is over. This was stated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during an interview with Fox News. "I think, unfortunately, we're going to have to re-evaluate whether this alliance, which has served this country well for a while, is still serving that purpose,'' Rubio said. 'If we've gotten to the point where the Nato alliance means we can't use US military bases in Europe, then Nato is a one-way street,' he added.

Iran is prepared for "at least six months" of war, Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said in an interview, while Donald Trump again tonight insisted that the war could be over within two to three weeks. "We do not set deadlines for our defence. We will defend our country and our people as much as necessary and by any means required,' Araghchi told Al Jazeera.'We do not bring what timeframe our enemies impose on themselves. However, we advise them to end this war permanently before we suffer further damage,' he added, emphasising that the end of the war must include peace throughout the region.

Further reading

Iran, Zelensky with drone offer seeks support for war in Ukraine

31 March 2026

US President Donald Trump will address the nation this evening on Iran, a White House spokeswoman announced overnight. "Tomorrow evening at 9pm local time (3am Italian time), President Trump will address the nation to provide important new information on Iran," Karoline Leavitt wrote.

The Israeli army claimed to have carried out ''large-scale'' attacks on Tehran. The Iranian broadcaster Irib confirmed that explosions took place in several areas of the capital. A communiqué issued by the Israeli military stated that the IDF had "completed a wave of large-scale attacks against infrastructure sites of the Iranian terrorist regime in Tehran".

According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), a ballistic missile launched by the Iranian-backed Houthi in Yemen against southern Israel was intercepted. No injuries were reported. Warning sirens sounded in Beersheba and throughout the south of the country. The Houthis have launched several missiles and drones against Israel since joining the fighting last week in the context of the war with Iran.

An oil tanker was damaged by an "unidentified projectile" about 30 kilometres north of Doha, the Qatari capital, the British maritime agency Ukmto announced today. "The tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile on the port side, causing damage to the hull above the waterline," the agency wrote in a statement, adding that the crew was unharmed and that no environmental impacts were reported.

Further reading

Iran, why escalation would have unpredictable consequences

31 March 2026

Drones targeted fuel tanks at Kuwait's international airport, causing a fire, the state-run Kuna news agency reported today, citing the Civil Aviation Authority. "Kuwait International Airport has been the target of blatant drone attacks launched by Iran and the armed factions it supports," the agency reported, citing Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Abdullah Al Rajhi. According to the latter, 'fuel storage tanks were hit, causing a large fire on the spot'. No casualties were reported, the same source indicated.