Trump Stresses That He Believes Iran Wants A Deal Very Badly
Trump extends his deadline for Iran to reopen Strait of Hormuz, says US to hold off on power plant strikes for 5 days
“All I’m saying is, we are in the throes of a real possibility of making a deal,” Trump said as he wrapped his extended exchange with reporters before boarding Air Force One.
“And I think, if I were a betting man I’d bet for it. But again, I’m not guaranteeing anything,” he said.
Major Developments:
- US President Donald Trump has announced that he is extending his deadline for Iran to reopen Strait of Hormuz, says US to hold off on power plant strikes for 5 days.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social website Monday, just hours ahead of a deadline later in the day.
Writing in all capital letters, he said the U.S. and Iran have had “very good and productive conversations” that could yield “a complete and total resolution” in the war. Talks will continue “throughout the week,” Trump said.
Iran on Monday threatened to deploy "naval mines" in the Gulf if the United States and Israel were to attack any of its coasts or islands.
"Any attempt by the enemy to attack Iranian coasts or islands will naturally, and in accordance with established military practice, lead to all access routes and communication lines in the Persian Gulf and coastal areas being mined with various types of naval mines, including drifting mines deployable from the coasts," said the country's defence council in a statement carried by state media.
- Iranian media reported on Monday that targeted airstrikes across Tehran resulted in significant damage, as loud explosions rattled the capital, Fars News Agency reported. According to the agency, the attacks occurred in districts 1, 4, 11, 13, and 21, targeting expressways, with multiple loud explosions heard.
“In District 13, Pirouzi Street; in District 21, the Garmdareh area; in District 1, Shahid Babaei Expressway and Shahid Langari Street; as well as in District 4, the end of Shahid Babaei Expressway and the Heravi Square area; and in District 11, Hafez Street at the intersection with Jomhouri, tremendous explosion sounds have been reported,” it said.
The report added that a child was killed in Khorramabad. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported casualties and extensive damage following an air attack in Iran’s Urmia.
- New Trump-Iran Threats Heighten Energy Risks. President Donald Trump warned the U.S. will “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if it doesn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, prompting Tehran to say it would respond to any such strike with attacks on U.S. and Israeli energy and infrastructure assets.
Live Updates
- 23 March 2026 5:38 PM IST
Israeli strikes hit Tehran
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, the Israeli military said it was carrying out another wave of strikes on targets in Iran’s capital, Tehran.
- 23 March 2026 4:42 PM IST
Iran seeks repatriation of sailors in Sri Lanka
Iran was in talks for the return of 251 sailors in Sri Lanka after one of its frigates was sunk near the island earlier this month, Tehran's ambassador said Monday.
Alireza Delkhosh said crews from two vessels -- 32 men from the IRIS Dena, which was torpedoed by a US submarine, and 219 from the IRIS Bushehr, which was given safe harbour in Sri Lanka -- wanted to return home.
"We are talking, and we are following this issue with the Sri Lankan government," Delkhosh said in a press conference broadcast on local networks, but which was not open to international media.
- 23 March 2026 3:34 PM IST
Russia warns US against striking Iran’s nuclear power plant
The Kremlin said Monday that any U.S. strikes on Iran’s Russia-built nuclear power plant could trigger “irreparable” consequences.
Asked about President Donald Trump’s warning to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if it doesn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the “catastrophically tense” situation in the region could only be settled by political and diplomatic means.
Peskov warned that any strikes on nuclear facilities would be “extremely dangerous and fraught with possibly irreparable consequences,” adding that Russia has “conveyed relevant signals” to the U.S.
- 23 March 2026 3:11 PM IST
Sara Netanyahu flies to US for conference of first spouses
The wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Washington early Monday morning to take part in a meeting of first spouses from dozens of countries organized by first lady Melania Trump.
According to the prime minister’s office, Netanyahu will be in the states for two or three days and is expected to return to Israel immediately afterwards. The White House said the meeting of first spouses will focus on supporting children through the “safe and innovative use of technology.”
- 23 March 2026 3:10 PM IST
Egypt denounces Israel’s strikes on Lebanon’s infrastructure
“The deliberate destruction of infrastructure in Lebanon represents a blatant Israeli policy of collective punishment,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a Monday statement.
It criticized Israel’s “systemic and deliberate” strikes, including on bridges on the Litani River in south Lebanon.
- 23 March 2026 3:10 PM IST
Israel army confirms own artillery fire killed civilian on northern border Sunday
The Israeli military on Monday said its own artillery fire killed an Israeli civilian a day earlier near the northern border with Lebanon, where its forces are fighting Hezbollah.
After opening an investigation, the military said "the initial findings suggest that the Israeli civilian was killed by IDF artillery fire conducted to support IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon".
- 23 March 2026 2:35 PM IST
Israeli destroys another bridge on Litani river in south Lebanon
An Israeli airstrike has destroyed another bridge on the Litani river in south Lebanon. The strike on the bridge Monday in the southern village of Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr cut a main link between the southern city of Nabatiyeh and al-Hujair valley region further south.
- 23 March 2026 1:11 PM IST
PM Modi to Address Lok Sabha on West Asia Conflict
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Lok Sabha at 2 PM today during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament. He is expected to outline key aspects of the ongoing West Asia conflict and explain India’s position on the issue. - 23 March 2026 1:10 PM IST
IEA Chief: Global Economy Faces Major Threat Because of Iran War
The head of the International Energy Agency said Monday that the global economy faces a “major, major threat” because of the Iran war. “No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues to go in this direction,” Fatih Birol told Australia’s National Press Club in Canberra on Monday. - 23 March 2026 11:58 AM IST
Gulf states want US to continue striking Iran, reports Israeli media
As the conflict in West Asia and the Gulf region enters its fourth week with no signs of de-escalation, senior officials from various Gulf capitals told The Times of Israel that the countries are now urging Washington to continue striking Iran.The Times of Israel was told by officials on the condition of anonymity that after being attacked, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain believe that Iran's military must be cut down before a ceasefire is achieved--with some considering joining the offensive. This comes despite the frustration in the way the US and Israel are going forward in the conflict in West Asia--yet Gulf countries, especially the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar have expressed the desire to ensure Iran comes out of the conflict with a degraded military that ceases to pose a threat to the Gulf nations.
