Donald Trump has extended his pause on the threat to strike energy plants in Iran to ten days after claiming talks with Tehran are going "very well".
The US president had given Tehran a deadline of Friday to enter negotiations to end the war or face the "total destruction" of its energy facilities, in a major potential escalation of the conflict.
But in a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said the deadline would now be extended until 6 April "at the request of the Iranian government" — giving both sides more time to negotiate. Tehran has denied that any direct talks are taking place.
Thousands of US troops have reportedly been dispatched to the Middle East ahead of the Friday deadline, and officials have suggested Trump had been favouring a major ground operation in Iran to force them to the table.
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.
But military sources told CNN that it had recently been fortified and that such an operation could lead to US casualties.
Key Points
- Iran 'begging to make deal', says Trump
- Israel says it has killed Iranian navy chief key to Hormuz blockade
- Iranian official says US proposal to end war is 'one-sided', but door to diplomacy still open
- Trump's latest lash out at UK, calls aircraft carriers 'toys'
JD Vance meeting with Qatar's prime minister: report
00:30 , Rachel DobkinUS 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.
UK faces biggest hit to growth from Iran war of all major economies, OECD warns as inflation set to surge
00:00 , Bryony Gooch
UK faces biggest hit to growth from Iran war of all major economies, OECD warns
Pentagon prepares for massive 'final blow' of Iran war
Thursday 26 March 2026 23:01 , Bryony GoochThe 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.
Trump lashes out at Nato again and claims alliance has done ‘absolutely nothing’ to help in Iran
Thursday 26 March 2026 22:00 , Bryony Gooch
Trump lashes out at Nato and claims it has done ‘absolutely nothing’ to help in Iran
Pictured: An Iraqi soldier stands guard at the site of a destroyed healthcare centre in the Habbaniyah military base,
Thursday 26 March 2026 21:30 , Bryony Gooch
US deploys uncrewed drone boats in conflict with Iran
Thursday 26 March 2026 21:30 , Bryony GoochThe 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.
Watch: Majority of Americans say military action has gone too far in Iran
Thursday 26 March 2026 21:00 , Bryony GoochIran bans sports teams from travelling to 'hostile' countries
Thursday 26 March 2026 20:30 , Jane DaltonIran 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.
Trump extends deadline to Iran until Monday
Thursday 26 March 2026 20:29 , Jane DaltonDonald 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.
Trump reveals ‘present’ he claims Iran gave him in negotiations to end war
Thursday 26 March 2026 20:00 , Bryony Gooch
Trump reveals ‘present’ he claims Iran gave him in negotiations to end war
Russia aiding Iran's military effort, says French foreign minister
Thursday 26 March 2026 19:30 , Bryony GoochFrance’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.
Watch: Trump reveals the mysterious 'gift' from Iran
Thursday 26 March 2026 19:00 , Bryony GoochRubio says Russia primarily concentrating on Ukraine war, not on helping Iran
Thursday 26 March 2026 18:30 , Bryony GoochUS 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.
Russia is backing Iran in attacks against American allies - while Trump attacks Nato
Thursday 26 March 2026 18:00 , Bryony Gooch
Russia is backing Iran in attacks against American allies - while Trump attacks Nato
Watch: Trump rants about lawsuits and Sharpies as US troops head to Iran and millions are delayed by DHS shutdown
Thursday 26 March 2026 17:00 , Bryony GoochFrench armed forces chief held videocall with 35 countries on Hormuz Strait
Thursday 26 March 2026 16:45 , Bryony GoochFrance's armed forces chief held a videoconference call with 35 countries, from all continents, over ways to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, France's Defence ministry said on Thursday.
The ministry did not disclose which countries in particular had joined the call.
"This initiative, independent of the ongoing military operations in the region, is strictly defensive in nature. Its purpose is to organize the the resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities have ceased," it said in a statement.
Trump denies tensions with UK over Iran ahead if King's US visit
Thursday 26 March 2026 16:31 , Bryony GoochDonald Trump denied that tensions with the UK over its stance on the Iran war would affect the King's US visit.
Answering media questions at a Cabinet meeting, the US president said: "He's going to be here very soon, as you know, we're going have a state dinner.
"It's going be great.''
He also said: "He's a friend of mine.''
In pictures: Smoke rises from Israeli artillery shelling on the village of Bayada, Lebanon
Thursday 26 March 2026 16:20 , Bryony Gooch
Iran gave Trump 'eight big boats of oil'
Thursday 26 March 2026 16:12 , Bryony GoochPresident Donald Trump has reportedly claimed that Iran gave him a “present” of eight “big boats of oil”.
He later said the ships were Pakistani-flagged and moved through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days. Ultimately, "It ended up being 10 boats" that passed through, he said, according to CBS.
Mace defects to Democrat side of Iran battle: ‘Not voting to send sons and daughters ... to die for the price of oil’
Thursday 26 March 2026 16:10 , Bryony Gooch
Nancy Mace says Trump wants Americans to ‘die for the price of oil’
Iran war complicates WHO's emergency medical supply routes
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:54 , Bryony GoochThe World Health Organisation is finding other routes to deliver emergency medical supplies from its Dubai hub to crises such as Lebanon via long overland journeys, an official said, but rising fuel costs could hamper shipments if the Iran war persists.
The global health body's aid shipments from the United Arab Emirates were previously completely frozen as air, sea and land routes were restricted by the Iran conflict, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli air strikes.
Iran responded by firing drones and missiles at energy and other infrastructure across the Gulf, while militant group Hezbollah pulled Lebanon into the regional war by firing on Israel in support of its patron Iran.
Watch: Kremlin complains of 'media lies' over report Russia delivering drones to Iran
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:39 , Daniel HaygarthTrump's latest lash out at UK, calls aircraft carriers 'toys'
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:24 , Dan HaygarthDonald Trump denigrated the UK’s aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, as “toys”.
Speaking at the start of a White House cabinet meeting, the US president lashed out at Nato for doing “absolutely nothing” to help the US in the Middle East conflict.
He continued: “Now they all want to help. When they’re annihilated, the other side is annihilated, they said ‘we’d love to send ships’.
“Actually made a statement, a couple of them, that ‘we want to get involved when the war is over’. No, it’s supposed to get involved with the war’s beginning, or even before it begins.
“We had the UK say that ‘we’ll send’ – this is three weeks ago – ‘we’ll send our aircraft carriers’, which aren’t the best aircraft carriers by the way. They’re toys compared to what we have.
“But ‘we’ll send our aircraft carrier when the war is over’. I said ‘oh that’s wonderful, thank you very much. Don’t bother. We don’t need it'”.
Trump urges Iran to make a deal or US will 'keep blowing them away'
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:21 , Dan HaygarthDonald Trump urged Iran to make a deal to end US and Israeli bombing or face more strikes.
"They now have the chance, that is Iran, to permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions and to join a new path forward," Trump said during a White House cabinet meeting.
"We'll see if they want to do it. If they don't, we're their worst nightmare. In the meantime, we'll just keep blowing them away."
Trump spoke after a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday that Washington's proposal for ending nearly four weeks of fighting is "one-sided and unfair" but that diplomacy continues.
Trump said Iranians were talking with the US and described them as desperate to make a deal, which Tehran has denied.
He also described Iranian officials as "great negotiators" and said he was seeking an agreement that opens the Strait of Hormuz and shuts down Tehran's military ambitions.
Trump suggested that a deal might not ultimately come together.
"I don't know if we'll be able to do that," he said of the prospects for a deal. “I don’t know if we're willing to do that."
Hegseth accuses Obama of 'flying American money into Iran', claims it was used for weapon development
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:18 , Dan HaygarthUS defence secretary Pete Hegseth has accused Barack Obama of “flying” American money into Iran, which he claims was used to develop weapons.
He told a cabinet meeting: “Many of the Iranian military factories and bases that we are systematically destroying were paid for by the pallets of American cash that Barack Obama flew into Tehran under the Iran deal.”
He3 adds: “Iran took our money and turned it into weapons and bunkers and ammo. Now we’re destroying those weapons and we’re righting - you’re righting Mr President - that grievous wrong.”
US confirm 15 point ceasefire proposal
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:10 , Dan HaygarthAfter days of reports, the cabinet meeting has confirmed the US has a 15-point proposal to end the conflict, including demands ranging from dismantling Iran's nuclear programme and curbing its missiles, as well as effectively handing over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
“I can report to you today that we have, along with your foreign policy team, presented a 15-point action list that forms the framework for a peace deal. This has been circulated through the Pakistani government acting as the mediator”, special envoy Steve Witkoff told the cabinet meeting.
Iran 'begging to make a deal', says Trump
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:06 , Daniel HaygarthThe president told the cabinet meeting: “They are begging to work out a deal. I don’t know if we’ll be able to do that.
“I don’t know if we’re willing to do that. They should have done that four weeks ago. They should have done it two years ago.”
Trump criticises the UK
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:03 , Dan HaygarthThe president said: "We had the UK say - this is three weeks ago - we'll send our aircraft carriers, which aren't the best aircraft carriers, by the way. They're toys compared to what we have."
It is yet another criticism of the UK’s response to his war with Iran.
‘It’s really Orwellian’: Has Dubai’s social media crackdown killed the influencer dream for good?
Thursday 26 March 2026 15:00 , Dan HaygarthAs Iranian missiles strike Dubai, the UAE’s most glamorous city, residents face arrest for sharing or sending photos on social media. even to family Katie Rosseinsky speaks with Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai, to uncover the reality behind the influencer paradise.
Has Dubai’s ‘Orwellian’ social media crackdown killed the influencer dream for good?
Trump calls Iran great negotiators
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:50 , Dan HaygarthTrump said the Iranians are great negotiators, but that he's not sure he's willing to make a deal with them to end the war.
"Lousy fighters, but great negotiators”, he says of Iran.
Iran 'begging to make deal', says Trump
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:47 , Dan Haygarth
“They are begging to make a deal, not me”, Donald Trump says about Iran.
“Anybody that saw what’s happening out there would understand why they want to make a deal.
“They say ‘oh we’re not talking to them’, but anybody would know they’re talking.”
Trump on Wednesday claimed the US was negotiating peace with Iran's leadership but that Tehran was afraid to admit as much due to fears of being “killed by their own people”.
US confirm death of Iran navy commander Admiral Alireza Tangsiri
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:44 , Dan HaygarthThe United States on Thursday confirmed the death of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Navy commander Admiral Alireza Tangsiri from an Israeli airstrike, according to a post on X from US Central Command.
Statement from Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander: pic.twitter.com/oVqhVjgIDL
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 26, 2026
Trump: 'We’ve wiped out their navy completely, their air force completely'
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:43 , Dan HaygarthAbout his strikes on Iran, Trump said at a cabinet meeting today: “We’re crushing their missiles and drone stockpiles and their defence industrial base.
“We’ve wiped out their navy completely, their air force completely, we’ve wiped out a large percentage of their missiles and their missile launchers.”
Trump: 'We are absolutely obliterating them'
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:41 , Daniel HaygarthSpeaking about his war with Iran at a cabinet meeting this afternoon, Donald Trump has just said: “We are absolutely obliterating them, over the past three weeks we have been hitting Iran’s military capabilities at a level that few people have ever seen before.”
He added: “We have the strongest military anywhere in the world by far.”
Iranian official says US proposal to end war is 'one-sided', but door to diplomacy still open
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:27 , Daniel HaygarthIran’s initial response to the US proposal to end the war, which was conveyed to Pakistan, was that it was "one-sided and unfair", a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday, adding that a path forward might still be found if realism prevailed in Washington.
Trump’s 15-point proposal, sent through Pakistan, calls for removing Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium, halting enrichment, curbing its ballistic missile programme and cutting off funding for regional allies, according to three Israeli cabinet sources.
The official said the proposal "was reviewed in detail on Wednesday night by senior Iranian officials and the representative of Iran’s supreme leader", Reuters reports.
"In brief, the proposal suggests that Iran would relinquish its ability to defend itself in exchange for a vague plan to lift sanctions," he said, adding that the proposal lacked the minimum requirements for success.
He said there was "still no arrangement for negotiations, and no plan for talks appears realistic at this stage", while Turkey and Pakistan were trying to help "establish common ground between Iran and the United States and reduce differences".
Watch live: Trump holds cabinet meeting
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:20 , Dan HaygarthDonald Trump will host a cabinet meeting shortly. We will bring you the updates here and you can watch live on our YouTube page.
Cost of Trump’s war, from energy bills to interest rates
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:20 , Jane Dalton
Cost of Trump’s war: How Middle East conflict is hitting Britons
Iran imposes ‘toll booth regime’ to allow Strait of Hormuz passage
Thursday 26 March 2026 14:05 , Dan HaygarthIran imposed a “de facto toll booth regime” in the Strait of Hormuz even before its parliament unveiled plans to formally charge ships transiting the critical maritime route, Lloyd's List said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) already required ships to submit full documentation, obtain clearance codes, and accept escorted passage through a controlled corridor of the strait, it said.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints as a fifth of the global oil supply typically passes through it.
Iran’s parliament is pursuing legislation to “formally codify Iran’s sovereignty, control and oversight over the Strait of Hormuz, while also creating a source of revenue through the collection of fees", lawmaker Mohammadreza Rezaei Kouchi said, according to Fars and Tasnim news agencies. The arrangement was "entirely natural”, he said.
"We provide its security and it is natural that ships and oil tankers should pay such fees," Mr Kouchi added.
China calls on international community to encourage US and Iran return to negotiating table
Thursday 26 March 2026 13:53 , Dan HaygarthThe international community should encourage the US and Iran to return to the negotiating table and seek effective political settlement, China's foreign minister Wang Yi said on Thursday, Reuters reports.
Wang made the remarks during a phone call with Canadian counterpart Anita Anand, in which he also called on Beijing and Ottawa to jointly play a constructive role in this regard, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Houthis vow to join Iran war if needed
Thursday 26 March 2026 13:40 , Jane DaltonYemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, whose attacks on the Red Sea caused international shipping and trade chaos in the Gaza war, stands ready to strike the key waterway again in solidarity with Tehran, one Houthi leader has told Reuters.
Iran's Shi'ite allies in Lebanon and Iraq have joined the war. But Yemen's Houthi rebels, heavily armed and capable of striking Gulf neighbours and causing major disruption to maritime navigation around the Arabian Peninsula, have not yet entered the fray.
"We stand fully militarily ready with all options,” said the Houthi leader.
“As for other details having to do with determining zero hour they are left to leadership and we are monitoring and following up with the developments and will know when is the suitable time to move.”
If the Houthis open a new front in the conflict, one obvious target would be the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Yemen, a key shipping chokepoint and narrow passageway that controls sea traffic towards the Suez Canal after Iran effectively shut the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Nationalities of two killed in Abu Dhabi released
Thursday 26 March 2026 13:01 , Dan HaygarthThe people who died after being hit by falling debris during a missile interception in Abu Dhabi were of Pakistani and Indian nationality, the media office of the UAE’s capital has said.
As part of the ongoing follow-up to the previously reported incident caused by falling debris following the successful interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems, the incident has resulted in the deaths of two individuals of Pakistani and Indian nationality, and…
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 26, 2026
White House staffers ‘baffled’ over Trump claiming Iran gave him a prize related to Strait of Hormuz: report
Thursday 26 March 2026 13:00 , Dan HaygarthWhite House staffers were reportedly left “baffled” by President Donald Trump’s claim Tuesday that he had received a gift from Iran, about which he then refused to disclose anything further.
“They’re gonna make a deal,” the president said of Tehran in the Oval Office as he swore in Markwayne Mullin as his new Homeland Security secretary, replacing Kristi Noem.
“They did something yesterday that was amazing, actually. They gave us a present and the present arrived today. It was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money,” he added.
“I’m not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize, and they gave it to us.”
“That meant one thing to me. We’re dealing with the right people,” he concluded.
Read more below:
White House staffers ‘baffled’ over Trump’s claim Iran gave him a mystery gift
Rutte says European nations coming together over issue of Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:57 , Dan HaygarthMany European nations are willing to “come together to discuss” what they can do to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said.
It came after Donald Trump again criticised Nato countries, accusing them of doing “absolutely nothing” to help his war with Iran.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday morning, Trump said Iran had been “militarily decimated”, but added that the US “needs nothing from Nato”.
Netanyahu: 'We continue to forcefully strike the targets of the Iranian terrorist regime'
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:49 , Dan Haygarth
Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel continues “to forcefully strike the targets of the Iranian terrorist regime" in a brief video statement, as he once again praised cooperation with the US.
Israel announced on Thursday that it had killed Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s navy and key to its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which Netanyahu mentioned in the video.
According to the translation of the video, the Israeli leader said: “Last night, we eliminated the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps navy. This man had a great deal of blood on his hands, he was also the one who led the closure of the strait of Hormuz.
“This is yet another example of the cooperation between us and our friend, the United States, toward the common goal of achieving the objectives of the war.”
In pictures: First aid responders at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:45 , Daniel HaygarthFirst aid responders at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Roummane on 26 March.
An Israeli soldier was killed in fighting in south Lebanon on March 26, the military said, after the army announced it was conducting ground operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Nato's Rutte holds press conference
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:43 , Dan Haygarth
Earlier on Thursday, Trump wrote on Truth social: “NATO NATIONS HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HELP WITH THE LUNATIC NATION, NOW MILITARILY DECIMATED, OF IRAN. THE U.S.A. NEEDS NOTHING FROM NATO, BUT “NEVER FORGET” THIS VERY IMPORTANT POINT IN TIME!”
Rutte: 'Seeing some frustrations' with Trump
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:35 , Dan HaygarthAsked by the BBC about Trump’s comments about Nato, Mark Rutte said: “What I have been seeing is some frustrations with him about the Europeans needing to take to react to his requests.”
He added: “For good reasons, the US was not able to consult with allies because they wanted to keep the campaign secret.”
Rutte: 'Nato stands firmly with all of our allies'
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:31 , Dan HaygarthIn a press conference this afternoon, Mark Rutte, Nato secretary general, has been asked about Donald Trump’s criticism of its nations.
Trump on Thursday, wrote in a Truth Social post that Nato nations have done "absolutely nothing" to help with Iran.
"THE U.S.A. NEEDS NOTHING FROM NATO, BUT "NEVER FORGET" THIS VERY IMPORTANT POINT IN TIME!" he stated.
Asked about Trump’s criticism of Nato, Rutte said: “Nato stands firmly with our allies.”
He also said that countries, mostly from Nato are coming together, to ensure that sea links stay open.
Comment: Why is Donald Trump really playing for time in Iran?
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:30 , James ReynoldsAs Iran rejects outright Donald Trump’s 15-point plan to end the war – following wild claims that Tehran offered him a ‘very big present’ – Mary Dejevsky asks why the once gung-ho president is keen to tread diplomatic water:
Watch: AI video from Iran state media shows Statue of Liberty being 'blown up'
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:15 , Dan HaygarthUK faces biggest hit to growth from Iran war of all major economies, OECD warns as inflation set to surge
Thursday 26 March 2026 12:00 , Dan HaygarthWhitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Britain faces the biggest hit to growth from the Middle East conflict of all major global economies, according to an influential global policy group, which also warns inflation is set to surge to four per cent this year.
The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned the conflict has worsened the outlook for many of the world's largest economies but the UK looks set to be hit particularly hard, with the 2026 growth forecast downgraded to 0.7 per cent from a previous estimate of 1.2 per cent – the largest cut of all major economies.
The UK is also on course to have the second-highest inflation in the G7, behind only the US, and the second lowest growth, behind Italy.
As well as oil and gas supply disruption caused by the Iran war, fertiliser shortages could send food prices soaring if the conflict is long-lasting, the OECD warned.
It is now expecting UK inflation to average 4 per cent in 2026, up from the 2.5 per cent forecast in its last report in December.
Two dead in Abu Dhabi as US-Iran war intensifies despite peace talk claims
Thursday 26 March 2026 11:54 , Dan HaygarthTwo people have been killed in Abu Dhabi after Iran launched a fresh barrage of missiles during its ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.
Another three people were injured in the attacks on the Emirati capital when debris from an intercepted missile fell, the emirate’s media office said.
The death toll from the war has continued to mount amid conflicting reports of peace talks.
Israeli media reported that two people were injured in a blast north of Tel Aviv in Kfar Qasim on Thursday morning, and two teenagers were killed in Shiraz in the southwest of Iran on Wednesday evening during Israeli strikes on a residential area.
Read more below:
Two dead in Abu Dhabi as US-Iran war intensifies despite peace talk claims
The shocking rise of mortgage costs since Iran war - and when they might go down again
Thursday 26 March 2026 11:45 , Dan HaygarthThe Middle East conflict has had a string of knock-on effects in the UK, including for homeowners who are now facing higher bills.
Those who were closing in on a new house purchase, or renewing their deals on current property, would have been hoping for an interest rates cut by the Bank of England (BoE) in March or April, as was widely expected. Instead, a hold for now is on the cards - and swap rates, which mortgage deals are actually priced on, have soared.
The Independent has been shown data comparing the best rates on offer from one major high street bank on the 27 February, the day before the war started, to their best rate on offer today. The difference highlights the rapid rise - and the associated extra cost - for homeowners.
Read more:
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The shocking rise of mortgage costs since Iran war - and when they might go down
Is it safe to travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Latest UAE travel advice after two killed in missile attack
Thursday 26 March 2026 11:30 , Dan HaygarthTwo people were killed in a missile attack in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, 26 March as the UAE said it was responding to an active missile threat from Iran.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office said that authorities responded to “an incident involving falling debris in Sweihan street, following the successful interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems.”
The country continues to recover from the temporary closure of airspace earlier this month, which grounded flights and severely disrupted travel plans in the UAE.
Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi say they are gradually resuming some flights to and from its airports.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has advised against all but essential travel to the UAE as the regional escalation poses “significant security risks”.
Is it safe to travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Latest UAE travel advice
Pentagon ‘may divert crucial Ukraine weapons to Middle East’
Thursday 26 March 2026 11:15 , Dan HaygarthThe Pentagon is reportedly considering diverting crucial weaponry initially earmarked for Ukraine towards the Middle East.
It comes as the escalating Iran conflict places significant strain on the United States military's critical munition supplies.
The potential redirection of weapons, including air defence interceptor missiles, was reported by the Washington Post, which cited three informed sources.
The missiles were acquired through a Nato initiative launched in 2025, designed for partner nations to purchase US arms for Kyiv.
The potential move coincides with a marked intensification of U.S. military operations across the Middle East.
Read more:
Pentagon ‘may divert crucial Ukraine weapons to Middle East’
Pakistan claims 'indirect talks' between US and Iran are taking place
Thursday 26 March 2026 11:09 , Dan HaygarthPakistan’s deputy prime minister said on X on Thursday morning: “In reality, US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan.
“In this context, the United States has shared 15 points, being deliberated upon by Iran.”
There has been unnecessary speculation in the media regarding peace talks to end ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In reality, US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan. In this context, the United States has shared 15 points, being…
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) March 26, 2026
Russia sending drones to Iran to help war effort, western intelligence says
Thursday 26 March 2026 11:00 , Dan HaygarthRussia is close to completing a phased shipment of drones, medicine and food to Iran to bolster its war effort against the US and Israel, according to a report.
Senior Iranian and Russian officials began secretly discussing the delivery of drones days after Israel and the US launched their first attack on Tehran last month, two officials briefed on the intelligence told the Financial Times.
Read more below:
Russia sending drones to Iran to help war effort, western intelligence says
Iran allowing Malaysian vessels to pass in Strait, PM says
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:59 , Dan HaygarthMalaysia's prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday he had spoken to the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey and other regional countries and said Malaysian vessels were now being allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Anwar in a televised address thanked Iran's president for allowing the passage of the vessels.
He also said Malaysia's government would maintain the price of subsidised oil.
Trump claims Iran 'begging to make a deal'
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:48 , Daniel HaygarthIn a further Truth Social post this morning, the US president said: “The Iranian negotiators are very different and “strange.”
“They are “begging” us to make a deal, which they should be doing since they have been militarily obliterated, with zero chance of a comeback, and yet they publicly state that they are only “looking at our proposal.” WRONG!!! They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!”
Watch: Russia 'almost certainly' trained and gave intelligence to Iran ahead of conflict, says UK defence secretary
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:45 , Dan HaygarthIsrael says it has killed the head of Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:43 , Dan HaygarthIsrael said on Thursday it had killed Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, the head of Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy, the key official overseeing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said he had been killed with other senior naval commanders in a strike overnight. Iran did not immediately acknowledge Tangsiri's killing.
Recap: Iran denies engaging in talks to end war
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:40 , Dan HaygarthUsing Pakistan as an intermediary, Washington has delivered to Iran a 15-point ceasefire proposal, which includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump, speaking at a fundraiser on Wednesday night in Washington, insisted that Iran still wants to make a deal to halt the conflict.
"They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people," Trump said.
However, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on state television that his government has not engaged in talks to end the war, "and we do not plan on any negotiations."
Araghchi said the US had tried to send messages to Iran through other nations, "but that is not a conversation nor a negotiation."
Trump confirms May visit to China after Iran war forces delay to landmark trip
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:30 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on 14-15 May, more than a month later than initially planned.
The US president was scheduled to visit China on 31 March but postponed the trip after launching a war against Iran jointly with Israel.
The forthcoming visit will be the first to China by a US president in almost a decade.
“I look very much forward to spending time with President Xi in what will be, I’m sure, a Monumental Event,” Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform after announcing the new dates.
Read the full story:
Trump confirms May visit to China after Iran war forces delay to landmark trip
Trump slams Nato nations again
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:21 , Daniel Haygarth
The president has said Nato countries have “done nothing” to help the US in this war.
Trump wrote on Truth Social this morning: “NATO NATIONS HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HELP WITH THE LUNATIC NATION, NOW MILITARILY DECIMATED, OF IRAN. THE U.S.A. NEEDS NOTHING FROM NATO, BUT “NEVER FORGET” THIS VERY IMPORTANT POINT IN TIME!”
UK to urge Iran to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:20 , Dan Haygarth
On Thursday, UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper will urge Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as she travels to the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France.
She will make clear that the UK will help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait and provide an additional £2m in humanitarian aid to Lebanon.
Cooper is expected to hold talks with counterparts including US secretary of state Marco Rubio, France’s Jean-Noel Barrot, and Germany’s Johann Wadephul.
The Strait remained closed on Wednesday, despite Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi claiming it was open to “non-hostile” shipping.
John Healey: Government does not believe Iran has any plans to attack the UK
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:15 , Dan Haygarth
Britain’s defence secretary said that the government does not believe Iran has any plans to attack the UK, but declined to rule out that the country has the capability to do so.
Asked repeatedly on Sky News whether Iran could reach London with missile strikes, John Healey said: “We have no assessment of Iranian plans to strike London.”
Pressed further on whether the country has the capability to do so, he said: “What I’m saying, and trying to reassure people is, that we’ve got no assessment that Iran has any plans to attack.
“But we have the resources, we have the alliance in place to be able to defend Britain, and we do that with allies, and we do that with Nato.
“As far as Iran goes, they’re demonstrating a capacity to hit across the Middle East, we see the same tactics and technologies that we see employed by Russia in Ukraine, and this is the hidden hand of Putin in both conflicts.
“I’m releasing today our latest defence intelligence assessment, which says that Russia was almost certainly providing training, sharing intelligence with Iran ahead of this conflict, including on types of drones, including on electronic warfare, and whilst Putin may want us to be distracted by the Middle East, we’re determined that we won’t be.”
Watch: Trump says Iran negotiating but 'afraid to say it'
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:00 , James ReynoldsThe Longer Read: As a nuclear expert, this is what I find most worrying about Iran’s weapon capabilities
Thursday 26 March 2026 09:28 , James ReynoldsAs the war in Iran fuels speculation over how close it is to developing weapons of mass destruction, nuclear physicist Patricia Lewis, formerly of Chatham House and the UN, tells Radhika Sanghani why there is an even greater concern:
As a nuclear expert, this is what worries me most about Iran’s weapon capabilities
IDF publishes footage of 'demolition of Hezbollah command centre'
Thursday 26 March 2026 09:15 , Dan HaygarthThe IDF has published footage that it claims shows the demolition of a Hezbollah command centre and weapons depot in southern Lebanon.
Pentagon considers diverting Ukraine military aid to the Middle East, reports
Thursday 26 March 2026 09:14 , Dan HaygarthThe Pentagon is considering whether to divert weapons intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, according to a report.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that, as the war in Iran depletes some of the US military's most critical munitions, the US is weighing up whether to bolster using those originally meant for Ukraine, citing three people familiar with the matter.
A Pentagon spokesperson told the newspaper that it would "ensure that U.S. forces and those of our allies and partners have what they need to fight and win."
Mapped: Two killed as UAE responds to missile attack
Thursday 26 March 2026 08:57 , James ReynoldsHow Iran is preparing for invasion of Kharg Island
Thursday 26 March 2026 08:05 , James ReynoldsIran has been laying traps, and moving troops and air defences to Kharg Island in preparation for a US push to take the island, vital for its oil exports, according to a report.
Several sources familiar with recent US intelligence reports told CNN that there would be real risks involved in a ground operation, including significant US casualties.
They said Kharg Island has been fortified with ‘layered’ defences, including surface-to-air guided missile systems and anti-personnel and anti-armour mines.
Those mines extend to the shoreline, where US troops could stage a D-Day-style amphibious landing.
Trump insists King Charles will visit US despite branding UK warships ‘toys’ and lashing out at Starmer
Thursday 26 March 2026 18:06 , Bryony Gooch
Trump insists King will still visit US despite worsening relationship with Starmer
