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As much of the news, statements from officials and other information that has happened throughout March 25 in the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Iranian drones struck a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport in the early hours of Tuesday morning, causing fire and material damage but no casualties were reported, although footage showed an Iranian drone had struck a house in Sahah Al-Ahmad City, near Camp Arifjan where US troops were stationed.
Tehran residents recorded smoke over eastern Tehran following an Israeli strike on Wednesday morning, which was reportedly another assassination attempt, while the Shahid Dastgheib International Airport in Shiraz, southern Iran, was targeted by an Israeli or US airstrike.
Iraq’s Islamic Resistance Mujahadeen released footage of an FPV drone strike on US helicopters and radar systems at Victoria Base in Baghdad, but both the radar and helicopter most likely suffered light damage, as analysts revealed it appeared to be an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter that was modified for medical evacuation, noting that a nose-mounted camera and the red-cross could be seen, but it is blurred out at 0:07, and external fuel tanks had been added for extended range.
Iranian officials told mediators they suspected President Donald Trump’s push for new peace talks may be a tactic, citing past negotiations that were followed by military strikes, as the US seeks in-person talks as soon as Thursday, while continuing military deployments in the region and maintaining pressure alongside diplomatic efforts.
Wall Street Journal detailed that the proposed framework under discussion would see the US seek limits on the range and number of Iran’s missiles, with precise details to be worked out at later negotiations. The report also said that the broader US plan includes dismantling and restricting missile development in exchange for sanctions relief and civilian nuclear assistance. It added the arrangement could allow Trump to argue Iran’s military threat has been reduced and bring the war to an end, while also giving Tehran room to claim it preserved its position and forced concessions.
Press TV reported that Iran had rejected the proposal to end the war, saying any cessation of hostilities will take place only on Tehran’s terms and timeline, according to a senior official. The report also said that Iran had outlined conditions for ending what it described as an ‘imposed war,’ signalling a continued hardline stance despite ongoing mediation efforts.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Wednesday afternoon that Egypt played a key role in opening channels for negotiation and diplomacy between the US and Iran when speaking at a Cairo news conference, adding Egypt was working with partners including Pakistan, Turkey, Gulf States, China and Russia to de-escalate tensions and support Trump’s peace initiative.
US officials reportedly approved the written orders for the divisions headquarters in Fort Bragg and the Pentagon has ordered a few thousand paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne to deploy to the Middle East, with soldiers mostly from the Immediate Response Force unit who are trained to deploy within 18 hours to seize critical infrastructure points, but it is still unclear whether the troops would be deployed on Iranian soil such as Kharg Island.
Later in the afternoon, the Pentagon confirmed the deployment of elements of the 82nd Airborne Division headquarters, along with division enablers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, but the Pentagon spokesperson declined to give additional details for ‘security reasons.’
Iran told the International Maritime Organisation that non-hostile vessels can transit through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with Iranian authorities, reporting that approximately 3,200 vessels were trapped in the Strait due to the risks of traversing the vital shipping passage, and some vessels are alleged to have paid up to $2 million to ensure safe passage through the Strait.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence reported they intercepted five Iranian drones in the eastern region of the country in the early hours of Wednesday morning, later reporting that debris from an intercepted missile fell onto the roof of two homes in the Eastern Province, causing limited material damage and no injuries were reported.
Israel carried out a strike targeting a Russian-Iranian weapons supply line in the Caspian Sea, targeting infrastructure at Iran’s Bandar Anzali port, reported the Wall Street Journal, stating that the port is a key hub used for transferring weapons between Iran and Russia, including drones, ammunition and other military equipment, as Russia condemned the strike, emphasising the port’s civilian role, while analysts warned the move could further escalate tensions and disrupt supply chains, including trade flows through the region.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters Spokesperson said that its adversaries are facing a ‘strategic defeat’ and cannot escape the current situation, warning that regional stability depended on Iran’s military power, adding that there would be no return to previous conditions or negotiations under pressure.
Iraq’s Ministry of Defence reported that seven fighters had been killed and 13 were wounded as a result of US/Israeli airstrikes on the Al-Habbaniyah base west of Baghdad.
Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said that the US was responsible for a ‘betrayal of diplomacy,’ noting that Iran had consistently sought dialogue, adding that no direct or indirect negotiations had taken place with the US so far, while also stating that Pakistan and other friendly countries were working to create conditions for dialogue.
Iran launched missiles towards Israel mid-morning on Wednesday, with two direct impacts not only reported but also shown in images shared on social media, one at the Hadera power plant and the other in Hadera, but Hadera Electric Company updated there was no damage to their sites and that the missile fell just a few metres away.
French Rafale squadron fighter pilots deployed to Abu Dhabi have shot down almost 100 Iranian drones since the start of the war to defend local partners, according to RFI, noting that the jet uses medium-range MICA air-to-air missiles and have fired less than 10% of the entire stockpile of the French Air Force.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran is closely monitoring all US movements in the region, especially troop deployments, warning that ‘what the generals have broken, the soldiers can’t fix, adding that they would ‘fall victim to Netanyahu’s delusions,’ – “Do not test our resolve to defend our land.”
Turkey’s conducting diplomatic efforts to prevent Gulf Arab states from joining the US-Israeli war against Iran, with Turkish Minister Hakan Fidan already visiting Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, while also holding calls with other regional counterparts.
Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat stated that Iran was ‘probably’ unlikely to agree to a reported US 15-point plan, describing it as beautiful on paper, but in need of guarantees, noting that the regime ‘is not going to change’ and that Israel’s main objectives are to leave Iran with ‘no nukes, no missiles, and no proxies.”
Vessels seeking transit through the Strait under Iranian protection are being asked to provide crew and cargo lists, voyage details and bills of lading, with the process being channelled through intermediaries, is ad hoc and can vary ship to ship, but signals Iran’s efforts to assert formal control.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused the United States and Israel of waging an ‘unjust and illegal war’ during an address to the Spanish Congress, saying the two allies had ‘undermined international law, destabilised the Middle East and reignited conflicts in Iraq and Lebanon, while also arguing that the war has bolstered Russia, because Moscow had benefited financially from the rising fuel prices and the lifting of sanctions by the US administration.
Russian workers at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant are being evacuated following another strike near the plant on Tuesday, reported head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev, stating that 480 workers were at the plant last week, another group left on Wednesday and more will follow later this week, reducing staff to a minimum until the situation normalises.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said talks between the United States and Iran could be held in Pakistan soon: “I think there could be talks this weekend in Islamabad, Pakistan,” he told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
President Trump receives a daily video montage of the biggest US strikes on Iran, typically lasting about two minutes and described as ‘stuff blowing up,’ which is part of Trump’s briefings, but allies expressed concern that he might not be absorbing the full picture with the war now in its fourth week, while some incidents – such as an Iranian strike that hit five US refuelling aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base – Trump reportedly learned from media reports, and when he inquired, Trump was told the damage was minor.
Pakistan delivered a proposal from the United States to Iran, and either Pakistan or Turkey could be venues for discussions to de-escalate the war in the Gulf, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, with the report highlighting ongoing indirect diplomacy along with mediation efforts despite Iran publicly denying that talks are taking place.
Rocket and missile fire alerts were detected in Kiryat Shmona and surrounding areas of the Confrontation Line region in northern Israel, with impacts later reported in Kiryat Shmona, but Israeli censorship prevented any release of damages or casualties.
Israel’s Air Force stated in the early afternoon that it had completed several waves of airstrikes against Tehran, later reporting that they carried out a strike on a research and development centre in Isfahan linked to Iran’s naval capabilities, which was used for the design and development of submarines and underwater military systems for the Iranian Navy, including unmanned vessels, and it was also a hub for naval production.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson said the US was ‘wrapping up’ Operation Epic Fury, adding that the war would be done in ‘short order’ and ‘right on schedule,’ with his comments coming after Trump’s statement that his administration was talking to ‘the right people’ in Iran who ‘want to make a deal,’ but Iran has reportedly rejected the US peace plan, labelloing it as excessive.
Energy shortages could hit Europe as early as next month if the Iran war doesn’t end soon according to Shell’s CEO and Germany’s Economic Minister, noting that jet fuel supplies had already been dented, while diesel and gasoline was expected to follow, Shell’s Wael Sawan said at the CERAWeek conference, while German Minister Katherina Reiche said the country didn’t see scarcities, but added: “If the conflict doesn’t end, we see this probably later, April or May.”
Israelis were concerned that the United States would declare a one-month ceasefire to facilitate negotiations, according to CNN who spoke to Two Israeli sources, noting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to discuss the latest developments with his security cabinet on Wednesday evening following a smaller consultation with top security officials, but Israel remained sceptical about the prospect of a breakthrough, with a source noting that ‘the maximum Iran might be willing to go does not meet the minimum the US demands.’
A public dispute erupted between Russia and Israel after Israel’s Ambassador to Moscow Oded Yosef asserted that Russia was taking a one-sided position regarding Iran, which Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticised, describing them as ‘inappropriate’ and unhelpful to strengthening bilateral relations, especially following last Friday, when the Ambassador was summoned for a reprimand meeting at the Foreign Ministry due to an IDF strike near a crew from Russian state-run RT at the Qasmiyeh crossing in southern Lebanon.
UN Secretary General António Guterres called on Israel and America to end the war in Iran: “This has gone too far… The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war,’ he told reporters, adding: “My message to the US and Israel is that this is high time to end the war … as human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economies impact is increasingly devastating,” also calling for an end to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Guterres later said he’d appointed veteran French diplomat Jean Arnault as personal envoy to lead UN mediation efforts for the war with Iran, noting that ‘the war is out of control,’ saying his message was that diplomacy must prevail, and diplomacy requires sincere dialogue.
Netanyahu is rushing to pass a state budget in order to stave off early elections after his strategy to capitalise on a wave of support after the strike that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei failed to materialise, as polls indicated ‘Bibi’s’ right-wing coalition remained short of a parliamentary majority, with support largely unchanged even after weeks of military operations in Iran.
Kuwait’s acting Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Rahim Al-Deihani handed a diplomatic protest note to Iran’s Ambassador Mohammad Toutounchi after an Iranian drone struck a fuel tank that sparked a blaze at Kuwait International airport that crews were still trying to contain on Wednesday, marking the third time Kuwait has summoned the Iranian Ambassador since the start of the war.
Israel’s military are racing to strike key Iranian targets fearing the talks between the United States and Iran could halt the war, so Netanyahu has ordered a 48-hour deadline to destroy as much of Iran’s arms industry as possible, with the decision made in an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday night following media publishing copies of a 15-point plan to end the conflict, and the PMs government obtained a copy of the document soon after, but Israeli officials claimed it didn’t sufficiently curb Iran’s nuclear or ballistic-missile capabilities.
Officials in Israel are acutely concerned that a deal could cut short the campaign before key objectives, including the elimination of Iran’s ballistic threat, ensuring it cannot develop nuclear weapons and creating conditions for an internal uprising, are fully achieved: “If you do not obtain the three objectives, you will not be able to end the war,” said Chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee Boaz Bismuth.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive and appears to be involved in decision-making in Iran in recent days, reported KAN News, contradicting earlier assessments that Khamenei had been wounded or killed, or that he was side-lined while the IRGC assumed full control.
Following reports early on Wednesday afternoon about missiles targeting Dimona and Arad areas of Israel, a video later appeared suggesting an Iranian missile directly impacted near the entrance to the Rotem Amfert fertiliser facility southeast of Dimona, roughly 8km north of the Negev Nuclear Research Center.
France’s Army Chief General Fabien Mandon is to hold a video conference with countries willing to participate in a mission to restore the freedom of navigation in the Strait, a French Army official said, noting that the technical meeting is aimed at ‘gathering the positive countries wishing to play a role in this effort,’ adding that the ‘initiative is entirely separate from the US approach and remains defensive in nature.”
Israel Hayom was told by a security source that Israel was deliberately avoiding assassinating/murdering Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, despite having the capability to do so, in order to preserve a possible channel for negotiations and to maintain a potential partner for the ‘day after’ in Iran, while WSJ reported that Ghalibaf had also been removed from the target list for four to five days as Trump opened a door to high-level negotiations according to US officials.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused the French authorities of ‘double standards’ on X, criticising what he described as silence over violations of international law while calling on Iran to de-escalate, questioning why Iran was being urged to step back, comparing the situation to asking the French Resistance during WW II to de-escalate in the face of a Nazi invasion.
Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf claimed on X that Iran had information that its ‘enemies’, with the support of a regional country, were preparing to occupy one of its islands, warning that all movements were under surveillance and that any such action would result in relentless attacks on the supporting country’s vital infrastructure.
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan have issued a joint statement condemning Iranian attacks and those of Iran-backed militias in Iraq, calling on Baghdad to take measures to stop the strikes, but Saraya Awliya Al-Dam Spokesman al-Jaafari responded that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targets only the American Presence in Gulf countries and Jordan.
Almost 300 US service members have been wounded since the start of the war, CBS reported citing Central Command, stating that of the 290 wounded, 255 had returned to duty, ten remained seriously wounded, while the status of the remaining 25 wasn’t provided.
US/Israeli airstrikes targeted the Holy Iranian city of Mashhad on the evening of Wednesday, with reports indicating multiple airstrikes on the city and at least 18 explosions heard.
Jordan suspended the residency of an Iranian diplomat and denied the accreditation of another, according to Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi, describing the move as a clear message that attacks against neighbouring states are rejected, noting that Iran had launched dozens of missiles and drones toward Jordan during the war, insisting Jordan does not host foreign military bases – a rationale repeatedly used to justify attacks – though it does host forces of allied nations for defence and training.
Footage appeared online of the moment a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet was engaged by a short-range surface-to-air missile in southern Iran, which appeared to carry a small warhead and exploded near the wing of the fighter, likely inflicting some damage, as reports from the IRGC claimed the jet crashed into the sea which suggested it at least survived the engagement, however Central Command later stated that no US plane had been shot down in the skies.
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has emerged as a central figure in behind-the-scenes diplomacy aimed at easing tensions between the US and Iran, leveraging a close personal relationship with Trump, and Trump previously referred to Munir as his ‘favourite Field Marshall.’
Iran reportedly told mediators that Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire agreement involving the Unites States and Israel, linking any deal to halt in Israel operations against Hezbollah, reported Reuters, who cited that regional sources stated Iran was still reviewing a US ceasefire proposal, but has not rejected it while insisting any agreement must also cover its allied groups in the region, however Israel reportedly views its conflicts with Iran and Hezbollah as separate fronts, while Iran is pushing to tie them together in a single regional ceasefire framework.
Wall Street Journal later reported that Iranian demands to end the war included the closure of all American bases in the Gulf, a new order for the Strait allowing Iran to collect fees from ships transiting the waterway which would operate similar to the Suez Canal, guarantees that the war would not restart and an end to Israel’s strikes on the Iran-aligned Lebanese militia Hezbollah, lifting all sanctions on Iran, and Permitting Iran to keep its missile program with no negotiations to limit it.
We have deafeted Iran, Iran wants to make a peace deal I spoke to them this morning. President Donald J Trump