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US President Donald Trump on Thursday, March 26, extended his pause on threatened strikes against Iran’s energy infrastructure by another 10 days until April 6, claiming the request to hold off had come from Tehran itself.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said talks with Iran were going “very well” and took aim at what he called the “fake news media” for reporting otherwise. Iran, however, has said the same, dismissing American claims of productive negotiations as false.

The threat to strike Iranian energy infrastructure was first made last Saturday, when Trump warned he would target Tehran’s oil and gas facilities if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On March 23, he pushed that deadline back by five days to Friday, March 27, citing what he described as “very good and productive conversations” with Iran.

Thursday’s announcement pushes the deadline back once more.

Trump insists Iran is ‘begging to make a deal’

A day after Tehran dismissed Trump’s 15-point ceasefire plan, the American leader claimed that Iran was “begging to make a deal,” and that he wasn’t the one pushing for negotiations. Earlier Thursday, Trump told Tehran to “ get serious soon ” on negotiating a deal to end the war.

Iran has been blocking ships it perceives as linked to the US and Israeli war effort from the Strait of Hormuz, but it’s letting a trickle of others through the crucial waterway. 

Iran allowing Pakistan-flagged tankers through strait in sign of good faith: US President

Trump earlier this week cryptically said that Iran “gave us a present.” He revealed the gift during Thursday’s Cabinet meeting.

Trump said that Iranian officials, with whom the US is engaging in backchannel talks, are allowing “eight boats of oil” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting it was an apparent act of good faith for negotiations. “Well, I guess we’re dealing with the right people,” said Trump, who indicated the tankers are operating under Pakistani flags.

Iran starts to formalise its chokehold on Strait of Hormuz with ‘toll booth’

Iran appears to be setting itself up as the gatekeeper for the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important artery for oil shipments. The move could cement Tehran’s de facto chokehold over the crucial waterway and formalise its ability to keep its own oil flowing to China.

Iranian communications to the United Nations maritime authority and the experience of ships transiting the Strait suggest the creation of something akin to a “toll booth.” Ships must enter Iranian waters and be vetted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). At least two vessels have paid for passage.

Traffic through the Strait has fallen by 90 per cent since the start of the Iran war, sending global oil prices skyrocketing and inflicting alarming shortages on the Asian nations that get their oil from Persian Gulf countries via the Strait.

Strait of Hormuz tolls are paid in yuan

“Iran’s IRGC has imposed a de facto toll booth’ regime in the Strait of Hormuz,” says shipping information firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

Normally ships use a two-lane shipping channel in the middle of the strait. But increasingly, vessels are taking a different route, to the north around Larak Island, placing them in Iran’s territorial waters and closer to the Iranian coastline.

Entities that want their vessels to safely pass through must submit their details to what Lloyd’s List Intelligence refers to as “approved intermediaries” of the Revolutionary Guard, including the cargo, owners, destination and a complete crew list. Approved vessels receive a code and are escorted by an IRGC vessel. Oil is prioritised and vessels are subject to “geopolitical vetting,” Lloyd’s said.

“While not all ships are paying a direct toll, at least two vessels have and the payment is settled in yuan,” Lloyd’s List said, referring to the Chinese currency.

Some ships appear to have been allowed through following diplomatic pressure. Two Indian vessels loaded with liquid petroleum gas (LPG) have been able to pass, according to Lloyd’s.

Iran prepared for any scenario: Tehran envoy to UN

Iran’s top envoy to United Nations institutions in Geneva warned that any attempt by Israel and the United States to launch a ground invasion of Iran would be a “big” mistake, declaring that Tehran was prepared for “any scenario.”

Ambassador Ali Bahreini said Iran was winning the war and had already forced Washington and Tel Aviv to scale back their initial goals. Those ambitions, he said, had now been reduced to simply trying to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for oil shipments to countries dependent on Persian Gulf supplies.

Bahreini also sought to reassure that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei — who has not been seen or directly heard from since being named to replace his slain father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — was “safe” and running the country.

Asked to explain the Supreme Leader’s absence from public view, the ambassador pointed to “security arrangements which are very necessary for this particular time.”

IRGC claims strikes on Israeli vessels and jet fuel tanks in Haifa

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had targeted Israeli military vessels in the eastern Mediterranean and fuel tanks of Israeli fighter jets at the port of Haifa.

“We are determined to powerfully target the source of all aggression and evil, with the grace of God,” IRGC spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari was quoted as saying.

One killed in Israel as Hezbollah rockets strike north

A man was killed and another seriously wounded after a Hezbollah rocket struck Nahariya in northern Israel. Iranian and Hezbollah strikes triggered air raid sirens across Tel Aviv, central Israel and West Jerusalem throughout the day, with impacts reported in Tel Aviv, Ganei Tikva and Kafr Qasem. Israeli media reported 25 people wounded on Thursday.

Explosions heard in Iranian cities of Shiraz, Tehran

At least three explosions were heard in the Iranian city of Shiraz, according to Iran’s Nour news agency. Earlier, warplanes were heard overhead in the northern districts of the capital Tehran, shortly before loud blasts rang out.

The explosions occurred after dark during rain, and it was not immediately clear what had been hit.

Lebanon accuses Israel of war crimes, warns of ‘second Gaza’

Lebanon’s deputy prime minister Tarek Mitri has accused Israel of committing war crimes during its ongoing bombardment, warning that parts of the country risk being reduced to rubble in the same way as Gaza.

“Smotrich, the finance minister, has said we will turn southern Lebanon into Khan Younis, which is the southern part of Gaza. We have real fears that this is the case,” Mitri told Sky News.

He said Lebanese authorities were documenting systematic violations of international humanitarian law, including deliberate targeting of emergency workers. At least 42 paramedics have been killed since Israel escalated its offensive on Lebanon on March 2.

“There is no doubt that Israel is committing war crimes. It’s violating the Geneva Accord,” he said.

Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 1,116 people.

Saudi Arabia shoots down two drones over Eastern Province

Saudi Arabia’s air defence systems intercepted and destroyed two drones over the country’s Eastern Province within the past hour, the kingdom’s Defence Ministry said

UAE says it has engaged 15 ballistic missiles, 11 drones

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said its air defences engaged 15 ballistic missiles and 11 drones on Thursday. “UAE air defences are dealing with Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X.

Since Iranian attacks began, the UAE said its defences have intercepted a total of 372 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,826 drones. Two members of the UAE armed forces have been killed in the attacks, along with a Moroccan civilian contracted by the military and eight foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Palestine and India.