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U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking March 24 from Dubai, extended his five-day pause on planned strikes against Iranian power plants, telling reporters that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held "very, very intense" talks over the weekend with a senior Iranian official he described as "the most respected" leader in Tehran . Trump declined to name the interlocutor, saying doing so could get the person "killed" . Axios and multiple outlets identified the figure as Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf . In a notable aside, Trump suggested the Strait of Hormuz — closed since the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — could eventually be "jointly controlled," speculating aloud, "Maybe me. Maybe me. Me and the Ayatollah, whoever the next Ayatollah" . Iran publicly denied any negotiations took place. Ghalibaf called Trump's claims "fake news" intended to "manipulate financial and oil markets," and the Iranian Foreign Ministry labeled the reports "deliberate misinformation" designed to buy Washington time for military planning . Yet a partial contradiction emerged: CBS News reported that Iran's Foreign Ministry acknowledged receiving ceasefire messages through "friendly countries" and said Tehran was "reviewing" the proposals — stopping short of an outright refusal . Iranian military advisor Mohsen Rezaei separately warned that the war would continue "until compensation is received," and Iranian officials were reportedly preparing operations targeting Tel Aviv and U.S. Gulf allies . Mediators Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, and Oman are shuttling messages between Washington and Tehran . Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and offered Islamabad as neutral ground for direct talks . Reports from Axios and the Financial Times indicate that Witkoff, Kushner, and possibly Vice President JD Vance could meet an Iranian delegation in Pakistan later this week, though neither Washington nor Tehran has confirmed the meeting . Even as the diplomatic pause held, fighting escalated overnight. Iran fired a new wave of missiles at Israel in the early hours of March 24 , and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press on, saying Israel would "smash the rocket program and the atomic program" and citing the elimination of two more nuclear scientists . The U.S. military has now struck more than 9,000 targets in Iran since the Feb. 28 launch of what sources describe as "Operation Epic Fury" and has sunk 140 Iranian naval vessels . The U.S. has deployed an additional 2,500 Marines and three amphibious assault ships to the region, joining more than 50,000 troops already present, with another 2,500 Marines redirected from the Pacific . The human toll continues to mount. At least 3,230 Iranians have been killed, including 1,406 civilians, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency . Israel's ground campaign in Lebanon has killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over a million . Disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz have already cut global oil flows by more than 11 million barrels per day and reduced gas supplies by roughly 140 billion cubic meters, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) . Markets remain volatile. Brent crude fell more than 10% to around $100 per barrel after Trump's announcement before partially rebounding when Iran issued its denial . Analysts caution the rally reflects reduced fear rather than resolved risk. Former U.S. State Department negotiator Aaron David Miller called the war a "singularly incompetent use of America's power," noting that Iran retains the ability to attack Gulf allies and control the Strait of Hormuz . The next five days are widely seen as the critical window for verifying whether any genuine diplomatic channel exists .

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking March 24 from Dubai, extended his five-day pause on planned strikes against Iranian power plants, telling reporters that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held "very, very intense" talks over the weekend with a senior Iranian official he described as "the most respected" leader in Tehran . Trump declined to name the interlocutor, saying doing so could get the person "killed" . Axios and multiple outlets identified the figure as Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf . In a notable aside, Trump suggested the Strait of Hormuz — closed since the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — could eventually be "jointly controlled," speculating aloud, "Maybe me. Maybe me. Me and the Ayatollah, whoever the next Ayatollah" . Iran publicly denied any negotiations took place. Ghalibaf called Trump's claims "fake news" intended to "manipulate financial and oil markets," and the Iranian Foreign Ministry labeled the reports "deliberate misinformation" designed to buy Washington time for military planning . Yet a partial contradiction emerged: CBS News reported that Iran's Foreign Ministry acknowledged receiving ceasefire messages through "friendly countries" and said Tehran was "reviewing" the proposals — stopping short of an outright refusal . Iranian military advisor Mohsen Rezaei separately warned that the war would continue "until compensation is received," and Iranian officials were reportedly preparing operations targeting Tel Aviv and U.S. Gulf allies . Mediators Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, and Oman are shuttling messages between Washington and Tehran . Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and offered Islamabad as neutral ground for direct talks . Reports from Axios and the Financial Times indicate that Witkoff, Kushner, and possibly Vice President JD Vance could meet an Iranian delegation in Pakistan later this week, though neither Washington nor Tehran has confirmed the meeting . Even as the diplomatic pause held, fighting escalated overnight. Iran fired a new wave of missiles at Israel in the early hours of March 24 , and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press on, saying Israel would "smash the rocket program and the atomic program" and citing the elimination of two more nuclear scientists . The U.S. military has now struck more than 9,000 targets in Iran since the Feb. 28 launch of what sources describe as "Operation Epic Fury" and has sunk 140 Iranian naval vessels . The U.S. has deployed an additional 2,500 Marines and three amphibious assault ships to the region, joining more than 50,000 troops already present, with another 2,500 Marines redirected from the Pacific . The human toll continues to mount. At least 3,230 Iranians have been killed, including 1,406 civilians, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency . Israel's ground campaign in Lebanon has killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over a million . Disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz have already cut global oil flows by more than 11 million barrels per day and reduced gas supplies by roughly 140 billion cubic meters, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) . Markets remain volatile. Brent crude fell more than 10% to around $100 per barrel after Trump's announcement before partially rebounding when Iran issued its denial . Analysts caution the rally reflects reduced fear rather than resolved risk. Former U.S. State Department negotiator Aaron David Miller called the war a "singularly incompetent use of America's power," noting that Iran retains the ability to attack Gulf allies and control the Strait of Hormuz . The next five days are widely seen as the critical window for verifying whether any genuine diplomatic channel exists .

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South Korean President Lee Jae-myung ordered his government March 24 to activate an emergency energy response system after the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that the prolonged U.S.-Israeli war with Iran poses the 'worst energy security threat in history' . Speaking at the 11th State Council meeting at the Blue House in Seoul, Lee directed all ministries to audit vulnerable supply chains, secure alternative sources for crude oil and natural gas, and draft contingency plans for worst-case scenarios . He emphasized that disruptions extend well beyond fuel, since petrochemical products touch nearly every sector, "from food delivery containers to medical equipment" . On the pricing front, South Korea's second round of its temporary oil price cap system is scheduled for March 27, with the government acknowledging that rising international prices make some fuel hikes unavoidable . Lee pledged specific relief measures to cushion the blow for households and businesses. The government also plans to announce a ban on naphtha exports this week, as the conflict has halted domestic Naphtha Cracking Complex operations . Prosecutors conducted search and seizure operations March 23 at four major South Korean refineries — SK Energy, GS Caltex, S-Oil, and HD Hyundai Oilbank — over allegations of fuel price collusion . Lee vowed to "root out and severely punish unfair profiteering that exploits public suffering," calling the investigation a public deterrent . On fiscal policy, Lee pushed for rapid passage of what he called a "wartime supplementary budget," stating that "the sooner it is enacted, the greater the effect" . He instructed that the budget reflect actual field needs rather than a rigid predetermined total, and said it would draw on projected excess tax revenues rather than new debt . Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol said the package will cover fuel cost support, export enterprises, public transportation subsidies, small business owners, farmers, youth, and local governments . To reduce immediate fuel demand, Lee directed public institutions to enforce a "Vehicle 5-Day System" — a rationing scheme requiring that vehicles stay off the road one day in every five — while urging private citizens to use public transportation and cut electricity usage . He also ordered a review of extending closures at three coal-fired power plants and raising nuclear power plant utilization from 73% to over 80% . Lee proposed studying time-of-use electricity pricing for households to discourage peak consumption . Separately, Lee issued stern warnings against real estate speculation, stating that "if speculation is left unchecked, the country will perish," and ordered a crackdown with no loopholes in tax, financial, and regulatory measures .

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung ordered his government March 24 to activate an emergency energy response system after the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that the prolonged U.S.-Israeli war with Iran poses the 'worst energy security threat in history' . Speaking at the 11th State Council meeting at the Blue House in Seoul, Lee directed all ministries to audit vulnerable supply chains, secure alternative sources for crude oil and natural gas, and draft contingency plans for worst-case scenarios . He emphasized that disruptions extend well beyond fuel, since petrochemical products touch nearly every sector, "from food delivery containers to medical equipment" . On the pricing front, South Korea's second round of its temporary oil price cap system is scheduled for March 27, with the government acknowledging that rising international prices make some fuel hikes unavoidable . Lee pledged specific relief measures to cushion the blow for households and businesses. The government also plans to announce a ban on naphtha exports this week, as the conflict has halted domestic Naphtha Cracking Complex operations . Prosecutors conducted search and seizure operations March 23 at four major South Korean refineries — SK Energy, GS Caltex, S-Oil, and HD Hyundai Oilbank — over allegations of fuel price collusion . Lee vowed to "root out and severely punish unfair profiteering that exploits public suffering," calling the investigation a public deterrent . On fiscal policy, Lee pushed for rapid passage of what he called a "wartime supplementary budget," stating that "the sooner it is enacted, the greater the effect" . He instructed that the budget reflect actual field needs rather than a rigid predetermined total, and said it would draw on projected excess tax revenues rather than new debt . Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol said the package will cover fuel cost support, export enterprises, public transportation subsidies, small business owners, farmers, youth, and local governments . To reduce immediate fuel demand, Lee directed public institutions to enforce a "Vehicle 5-Day System" — a rationing scheme requiring that vehicles stay off the road one day in every five — while urging private citizens to use public transportation and cut electricity usage . He also ordered a review of extending closures at three coal-fired power plants and raising nuclear power plant utilization from 73% to over 80% . Lee proposed studying time-of-use electricity pricing for households to discourage peak consumption . Separately, Lee issued stern warnings against real estate speculation, stating that "if speculation is left unchecked, the country will perish," and ordered a crackdown with no loopholes in tax, financial, and regulatory measures .

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**Netanyahu Vows to Fight On as New Details Emerge on US-Iran Diplomatic Impasse** A strategic split between the United States and Israel has sharpened in the wake of President Donald Trump's five-day pause on strikes targeting Iranian power plants, announced March 23. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking in a video message after a phone call with Trump, vowed that Israel will press on with military operations in both Iran and Lebanon, regardless of the US diplomatic pause . Netanyahu revealed that Israel recently killed two Iranian nuclear scientists, adding, "this is not the end" . He framed the ongoing campaign as leverage, saying Trump believes the "massive achievements made by joint Israeli and US forces" can be converted into a deal protecting Israel's core interests . Netanyahu expressed specific concern that a potential agreement might fail to account for Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium — more than 400 kilograms enriched above 60%, enough to produce 10 to 11 nuclear weapons, according to the Indian news outlet Punjab Kesari . Meanwhile, multiple sources, including CNN as reported by KVIA, confirmed that no direct US-Iran negotiations have taken place since the war began Feb. 28 . Instead, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Oman are actively serving as mediators. Washington transmitted a 15-point list of expectations to Tehran via Pakistan, though sources told CNN that some terms could be "next to impossible" for Iran to accept . Pakistan has been proposed as a potential venue for a face-to-face meeting that Vice President JD Vance could attend . Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately reported meeting with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian to offer Islamabad's help in brokering peace . Iran's Foreign Ministry confirmed receiving "messages via friendly countries" requesting negotiations to end the war but rejected claims of productive talks as "fake news" . Iran is reportedly demanding guarantees against future attack, the closure of US military bases across the Middle East, and financial compensation as preconditions for any deal, according to Chosun . The authority to sign any agreement on the Iranian side remains uncertain, as the health status of new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been publicly confirmed . White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt declined to confirm the talks, stating that "speculations regarding these meetings must not be considered established until officially announced by the White House" . British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that London was aware of the ongoing diplomatic efforts . US troop presence in the region has grown to roughly 50,000, according to US Central Command, including the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and additional Marine units deployed from California . Iran continued launching drone and missile attacks on US military bases in Israel and Bahrain even after Trump's pause announcement .

**Netanyahu Vows to Fight On as New Details Emerge on US-Iran Diplomatic Impasse** A strategic split between the United States and Israel has sharpened in the wake of President Donald Trump's five-day pause on strikes targeting Iranian power plants, announced March 23. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking in a video message after a phone call with Trump, vowed that Israel will press on with military operations in both Iran and Lebanon, regardless of the US diplomatic pause . Netanyahu revealed that Israel recently killed two Iranian nuclear scientists, adding, "this is not the end" . He framed the ongoing campaign as leverage, saying Trump believes the "massive achievements made by joint Israeli and US forces" can be converted into a deal protecting Israel's core interests . Netanyahu expressed specific concern that a potential agreement might fail to account for Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium — more than 400 kilograms enriched above 60%, enough to produce 10 to 11 nuclear weapons, according to the Indian news outlet Punjab Kesari . Meanwhile, multiple sources, including CNN as reported by KVIA, confirmed that no direct US-Iran negotiations have taken place since the war began Feb. 28 . Instead, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Oman are actively serving as mediators. Washington transmitted a 15-point list of expectations to Tehran via Pakistan, though sources told CNN that some terms could be "next to impossible" for Iran to accept . Pakistan has been proposed as a potential venue for a face-to-face meeting that Vice President JD Vance could attend . Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately reported meeting with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian to offer Islamabad's help in brokering peace . Iran's Foreign Ministry confirmed receiving "messages via friendly countries" requesting negotiations to end the war but rejected claims of productive talks as "fake news" . Iran is reportedly demanding guarantees against future attack, the closure of US military bases across the Middle East, and financial compensation as preconditions for any deal, according to Chosun . The authority to sign any agreement on the Iranian side remains uncertain, as the health status of new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been publicly confirmed . White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt declined to confirm the talks, stating that "speculations regarding these meetings must not be considered established until officially announced by the White House" . British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that London was aware of the ongoing diplomatic efforts . US troop presence in the region has grown to roughly 50,000, according to US Central Command, including the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and additional Marine units deployed from California . Iran continued launching drone and missile attacks on US military bases in Israel and Bahrain even after Trump's pause announcement .

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**Trump Pauses Iran Strikes, Claims 15-Point Deal Progress; Tehran Calls It 'Fake News'** US President Donald Trump announced March 23 a five-day suspension of planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, citing "very good and productive" talks with an unnamed Iranian official . Trump claimed that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks March 22 and that the US and Iran had reached agreement on roughly 15 points, with the first being Iran's commitment to never acquire nuclear weapons . Trump declined to name his Iranian counterpart, saying only that he had not spoken to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and floated the possibility of joint US-Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz with a future Iranian leader . Iran denied all of these claims across multiple official channels . Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, identified by Axios and Israeli officials as Trump's reported counterpart, dismissed the reports as "fake news" intended to manipulate financial and oil markets . The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Tehran had only received secondhand messages via third-party nations and that no direct or indirect dialogue with Washington had occurred since the war began Feb. 28 . An IRGC-linked security official told Iran's Tasnim news agency that "no negotiations have taken place or are underway" . The semi-official Mehr news agency alleged the US pause was designed to lower energy prices and buy time for military preparations . Israeli media outlet Yedioth Ahronoth, citing an unnamed Israeli official, reported that Washington has set April 9 as a target date to end the war — a timeline that would allow Trump to visit Israel on Independence Day to receive the Israel Prize . Axios, also citing an Israeli official, reported that mediators were preparing a meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, possibly by the end of the week, with the US team potentially including Witkoff, Kushner, and Vice President JD Vance . Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was cited as a possible Iranian participant . Washington reportedly did not brief Israel on these contacts . Markets reacted sharply to Trump's announcement. Oil prices plunged more than 10% before partially recovering as traders questioned the validity of Trump's claims . European and US equity markets opened with gains, borrowing costs for governments declined, and the dollar weakened against major currencies . The International Energy Agency described the broader energy situation as "very serious," exceeding the impact of the 1970s oil crises and the aftermath of the war in Ukraine . The US has released 45.2 million barrels of oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve and granted a 30-day sanctions waiver for 1.4 billion barrels of Iranian oil at sea to help stabilize prices . Military operations continued despite the diplomatic pause. Israel launched strikes on weapon and missile manufacturing plants and IRGC headquarters in Tehran shortly after Trump's announcement . Iran's IRGC reported its 77th wave of attacks on Israel and on US bases at Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, and Al-Dhafra in the UAE . Separately, the US military dispatched 5,000 Marines toward the Persian Gulf — half from San Diego, the rest aboard the USS Tripoli, which departed duties off Japan — to support a potential ground operation . Iran has also threatened to lay sea mines in the Persian Gulf if its southern coast or islands are targeted . Casualties since the war began Feb. 28 have risen to over 1,500 in Iran, more than 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel, and 13 US military members, with millions displaced across the region . Iranian health authorities separately reported 20,984 cumulative injuries . Oil prices remain above $100 per barrel, and US gasoline prices have surged to nearly $4 per gallon . British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned against assuming a "quick and early end" to the war, cautioning that such expectations would amount to "false comfort" .

**Trump Pauses Iran Strikes, Claims 15-Point Deal Progress; Tehran Calls It 'Fake News'** US President Donald Trump announced March 23 a five-day suspension of planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, citing "very good and productive" talks with an unnamed Iranian official . Trump claimed that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks March 22 and that the US and Iran had reached agreement on roughly 15 points, with the first being Iran's commitment to never acquire nuclear weapons . Trump declined to name his Iranian counterpart, saying only that he had not spoken to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and floated the possibility of joint US-Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz with a future Iranian leader . Iran denied all of these claims across multiple official channels . Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, identified by Axios and Israeli officials as Trump's reported counterpart, dismissed the reports as "fake news" intended to manipulate financial and oil markets . The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Tehran had only received secondhand messages via third-party nations and that no direct or indirect dialogue with Washington had occurred since the war began Feb. 28 . An IRGC-linked security official told Iran's Tasnim news agency that "no negotiations have taken place or are underway" . The semi-official Mehr news agency alleged the US pause was designed to lower energy prices and buy time for military preparations . Israeli media outlet Yedioth Ahronoth, citing an unnamed Israeli official, reported that Washington has set April 9 as a target date to end the war — a timeline that would allow Trump to visit Israel on Independence Day to receive the Israel Prize . Axios, also citing an Israeli official, reported that mediators were preparing a meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, possibly by the end of the week, with the US team potentially including Witkoff, Kushner, and Vice President JD Vance . Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was cited as a possible Iranian participant . Washington reportedly did not brief Israel on these contacts . Markets reacted sharply to Trump's announcement. Oil prices plunged more than 10% before partially recovering as traders questioned the validity of Trump's claims . European and US equity markets opened with gains, borrowing costs for governments declined, and the dollar weakened against major currencies . The International Energy Agency described the broader energy situation as "very serious," exceeding the impact of the 1970s oil crises and the aftermath of the war in Ukraine . The US has released 45.2 million barrels of oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve and granted a 30-day sanctions waiver for 1.4 billion barrels of Iranian oil at sea to help stabilize prices . Military operations continued despite the diplomatic pause. Israel launched strikes on weapon and missile manufacturing plants and IRGC headquarters in Tehran shortly after Trump's announcement . Iran's IRGC reported its 77th wave of attacks on Israel and on US bases at Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, and Al-Dhafra in the UAE . Separately, the US military dispatched 5,000 Marines toward the Persian Gulf — half from San Diego, the rest aboard the USS Tripoli, which departed duties off Japan — to support a potential ground operation . Iran has also threatened to lay sea mines in the Persian Gulf if its southern coast or islands are targeted . Casualties since the war began Feb. 28 have risen to over 1,500 in Iran, more than 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel, and 13 US military members, with millions displaced across the region . Iranian health authorities separately reported 20,984 cumulative injuries . Oil prices remain above $100 per barrel, and US gasoline prices have surged to nearly $4 per gallon . British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned against assuming a "quick and early end" to the war, cautioning that such expectations would amount to "false comfort" .