Iran launched a number of waves of missiles at Israel, the Israeli army stated, after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed a menace to bomb the Islamic Republic’s energy grid due to what he described as productive talks with Iranian officers.
The missiles triggered air raid sirens in components of Israel, together with Tel Aviv, the place blasts from interceptions have been heard. In a single assault, properties in northern Israel have been broken by falling particles following an interception. No deaths have been reported.
Mr. Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform on Monday (March 23, 2026) that the U.S. and Iran had held “superb and productive” conversations a couple of “full and whole decision of hostilities within the Center East”.
Consequently, he stated, he was suspending for 5 days a plan to hit Iran’s power grid. His announcement despatched share costs larger and oil costs sharply decrease to under $100 a barrel, a sudden reversal to a market swoon brought on by his weekend threats and Iran’s vows to reply.
These beneficial properties have been in jeopardy on Tuesday (March 24, 2026), nevertheless, after Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf — who an Israeli official and two different sources conversant in the matter stated was the interlocutor within the talks on the Iranian facet — stated no negotiations had taken place.
“No negotiations have been held with the U.S., and fakenews is used to govern the monetary and oil markets and escape the quagmire wherein the US and Israel are trapped,” he wrote on X.
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) stated they have been launching recent assaults on U.S. targets, and described Mr. Trump’s phrases as “psychological operations” that have been “worn out” and having no influence on Tehran’s combat.
World markets rallied in aid in a single day Monday (March 23, 2026) after Mr. Trump added 5 days to his Saturday (March 28, 2026) ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — a conduit for about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied pure gasoline – inside 48 hours.
Additionally Learn | Two extra Indian vessels cross Strait of Hormuz
However on Tuesday (March 24), these beneficial properties have been underneath menace as markets weighed the conflicting messages from Tehran and Washington. U.S. Treasury yields pushed larger, and the greenback regained misplaced floor because the world continues to grapple with an power shock triggered by Iran’s menace to delivery within the strait.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 have been up 4.2% to $104.21 a barrel, reversing a few of their 10% slide from Monday (March 23), whereas U.S. crude CLc1 rose 4.3% to $91.93 per barrel.
“The underlying state of affairs remains to be extremely fragile or flammable,” stated IG market analyst Tony Sycamore.
“Main factors of settlement”
Mr. Trump informed reporters his particular envoy, Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had been negotiating with Iran earlier than the warfare, had held discussions with a high Iranian official into the night on Sunday (March 22) and would proceed on Monday.
“We’ve got had very, very sturdy talks. We’ll see the place they lead. We’ve got main factors of settlement, I might say, nearly all factors of settlement,” he stated on Monday (March 23).
A European official stated that whereas there had been no direct negotiations between the 2 nations, Egypt, Pakistan and Gulf states have been relaying messages.
A Pakistani official and a second supply informed Reuters that direct talks on ending the warfare could possibly be held in Islamabad as quickly as this week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a video assertion that he spoke with Mr. Trump on Monday (March 23) and that Israel would press on with assaults in Lebanon and Iran.
However Mr. Netanyahu stated Mr. Trump believed there was a risk of “leveraging the mighty achievements obtained by the IDF (Israel Protection Forces) and the U.S. army, in an effort to realise the objectives of the warfare in a deal – a deal that may protect our important pursuits.”
Though there was no rapid affirmation that talks had taken place as described by Mr. Trump, Iran’s International Ministry described initiatives to scale back tensions.
It stated Iran’s International Minister Abbas Araqchi had reviewed developments associated to the Strait of Hormuz along with his Omani counterpart and agreed to proceed consultations between the 2 nations.
The Pakistani official stated U.S. Vice President JD Vance, in addition to Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner, have been anticipated to satisfy Iranian officers in Islamabad this week, following a name between Mr. Trump and Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir.
The White Home confirmed Mr. Trump’s name with Mr. Munir. The Pakistani Prime Minister’s workplace and International Ministry didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Iranian media reported that Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif mentioned the influence of the warfare on regional and international safety.
Iran has successfully closed the important thing Strait of Hormuz since america and Israel launched their warfare on the nation on February 28. Greater than 2,000 folks have been killed within the warfare.
Iran had responded to Mr. Trump’s threats to strike its energy crops by saying it could hammer the infrastructure of U.S. allies within the West Asia, elevating the prospect that an excessive disruption to international power provides may last more than beforehand anticipated.
Printed – March 24, 2026 10:48 am IST