Iran War: No response to US proposals, Iran rules out any offers or conditions

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran has not responded to the 15 proposals reportedly put forward by the United States, and has not presented any proposals or conditions of its own.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that messages have been exchanged with the United States, both directly and through regional intermediaries. However, he clarified that this should not be seen as ongoing negotiations. “I receive messages directly, as before, and this does not mean that we are in negotiations,” he said, dismissing speculation of formal talks between the two sides.

Foreign journalist has been kidnapped in Iraq, reports AP citing Iraq's interior ministry.   

Trump while speaking to New York Post said, "We’re not going to be there too much longer. We’re obliterating the s–t out of them right now, it’s a total obliteration." 

Russia’s envoy has stated that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is currently in Iran but has not been appearing in public, amid growing speculation over his health and security. 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued a warning that it will respond to any assassination by targeting companies linked to the United States. In its statement, the IRGC advised employees to leave such workplaces and urged residents within a 1 km radius to move to safer areas. The warning names major global firms including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Tesla, among others, and states that the directive would take effect from 8:00 PM Tehran time on April 1.

On Iran, Pete Hegseth issued a strong warning, saying that if Iran is wise, it should agree to a deal, stressing that Donald Trump “doesn’t bluff and does not back down.” He added that with a new regime now in place in Iran, its leadership should act more cautiously, noting that while the US is open to a deal, failure to comply would lead to intensified action by the Department of Defense.

Iran is reportedly charging up to $2 million per vessel for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions in the region, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with Al Jazeera that such actions cannot continue and warned of consequences. 

Several Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states endured another day of intense missile and drone attacks linked to Iran, with authorities and residents reporting hostilities across the region, Al Jazeera has reported. In the United Arab Emirates, five explosions were heard in Dubai, underscoring rising security concerns as regional tensions escalate. Read full story here. 

In a sharp statement amid the ongoing tensions involving Iran, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged countries facing fuel shortages due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to “build some courage and get their own oil.” The crucial shipping route through which nearly 20% of global oil and gas supplies pass has been severely disrupted following Iran’s retaliatory strikes after the US-Israeli military action in late February. Oil and gas vessels in the region have reportedly been targeted, worsening the global energy crunch. Read the full story here. 

Benjamin Netanyahu claims Israel is building alliances with Arab nations against Iran, while supporting potential US force to curb Tehran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto on Monday refused US aircraft use of Sicily base for Middle East operations. 

Bahrain Defence Force said it has intercepted and destroyed 182 missiles and 400 drones targeting the kingdom since the start of the war.

Spokesperson of the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday said the country's armed forces will respond strongly by using the term "cutting off legs" of any "aggressor" trying to invade the country, according to the Iranian state media Press TV. Khatam Al-Anbia HQ spokesperson, Ebrahim Zolfaghari was cited by Press TV as saying that, "Iran armed forces will cut off legs of any aggressor invading the country."

The Dubai Media Office confirmed today that the fire aboard the Kuwaiti oil tanker Al Salmi has been successfully extinguished, causing damage to the vessel's hull and raising concerns about a possible oil spill. The tanker, Al Salmi, was carrying 2 million barrels of oil from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, destined for Qingdao, China. Thankfully, all 24 crew members are safe, and no injuries have been reported. In a post on X, the Dubai Media Office said, "Dubai authorities have confirmed that response teams have successfully extinguished the fire involving a Kuwaiti oil tanker. Relevant teams continue to assess the situation and take the necessary measures, and updates will be shared as they become available."

US President Donald Trump is considering ending the US military campaign in Iran, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, reported The Wall Street Journal. He indicated to aides that he is prepared to wind down military operations against Iran within a four-to-six-week timeline, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that rerouting energy pipelines toward the Mediterranean could serve as a long-term solution to the vulnerabilities surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, according to an interview with Newsmax. "Long-term solutions include rerouting energy pipelines westward, across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea and Mediterranean, bypassing Iran's geographic choke point," Netanyahu told Newsmax, stressing the need to reduce reliance on the Strait.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, in an interview with Fox News has said that the efforts to facilitate US-Iran peace talks are underway, but cautioned that the process will be complex and time-consuming. Speaking on the network's programme "Special Report", Sheikh highlighted initial confidence-building measures as a step towards negotiations.

A broker representing US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth sought to invest in a major US defence-focused fund in the weeks leading up to the US-Israeli military action against Iran, the Financial Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, as quoted by Reuters. According to Reuters, citing the Financial Times report, which cited three people familiar with the discussions, the broker, working with Morgan Stanley, contacted BlackRock in February regarding a potential multimillion-dollar investment in the Defence Industrials Active ETF (IDEF). The inquiry was flagged internally at BlackRock, the sources added.

Asian nations are increasingly competing for Russian crude oil as an energy crisis mounts amid the month-old war by the US and Israel against Iran, which has choked off roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply. Much of the oil from the mostly shut Strait of Hormuz was headed for Asia, hit hardest by recent energy shocks. Over the weekend, Iran-backed Houthi rebels entered the conflict, further threatening shipping. To shore up global crude oil supplies, the US has temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil shipments already at sea - first for India, then for the rest of the world.

The US military is building a massive complex under a privately funded ballroom being built in the White House, a move that has run foul with President Donald Trump's detractors. The underground facilities at the White House include a Presidential Emergency Operations Centre (PEOC) which dates back to the Second World War. This facility has been upgraded at regular intervals.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the ongoing US-Israel military operation against Iran amid the West Asia conflict is "beyond the halfway point", with the current focus of the coalition being to secure or remove Tehran's enriched uranium stockpile. In an interview with Newsmax, Netanyahu expressed confidence in the progress of the joint military campaign, emphasising that significant steps have been taken to dismantle Iran's military and nuclear capabilities.

A drone struck a Kuwaiti oil tanker sailing in the waters of Dubai, sparking a fire on board, according to the Dubai Media Office. Emergency teams quickly responded and managed to bring the blaze under control before fully extinguishing it. Authorities confirmed that all 24 crew members are safe and that no injuries have been reported. Further assessments of the incident are underway.

The Israeli army said that it is aware of reports regarding two instances in which United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeepers were killed. The army said and is reviewing them to determine whether the deaths resulted from Hezbollah activity or Israeli fire, noting that "these incidents occurred in an active combat area," The Associated Press reported. 

Two Indonesian United Nations peacekeepers have died while on escort duty in support of UNIFIL operations in southern Lebanon. The Indonesian Ministry of Defense said in a written statement on Tuesday that two other soldiers were also seriously injured amid intensifying hostilities in the area. The statement added that the exact cause of the incident is still under investigation by UNIFIL in accordance with established procedures.

Emergency crews rushed to an abandoned house in the Al Badaa area of Dubai today morning after debris from an air defence interception triggered a fire, injuring four people, according to the Dubai Media Office. Officials said the injured were provided immediate medical assistance at the scene. In neighbouring Bahrain, authorities confirmed that warning sirens were activated as precautionary measures. More updates are awaited.

Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry has confirmed that its forces successfully intercepted three ballistic missiles launched towards the capital city of Riyadh. The ministry said its air-defence systems neutralised the incoming threat, preventing any reported damage or casualties. More details are awaited as security agencies continue to assess the situation.