British newspaper Financial Times has strongly criticised US President Donald Trump over his handling of the Iran war, describing it as inconsistent, poorly planned and lacking a clear strategy.

In an analytical report, the publication said that Trump appeared to adopt contradictory positions — issuing serious threats while simultaneously calling for negotiations — creating confusion over his overall approach.

The report maintained that Trump’s unclear and contradictory approach shook the confidence of US allies and added fuel to rising tensions across the region.

It also referred to British leader Winston Churchill, emphasising that honesty and consistency are especially vital when navigating moments of conflict.

However, it said questions were repeatedly raised about the consistency and accuracy of Trump’s statements, which were sometimes seen as disconnected from facts and required verification from other sources.

The report further said that Trump seemed to believe Iran would back down within 72 hours — an assumption described as his initial “Plan A” — but pointed out the absence of any clear “Plan B.”

This, it argued, suggested the United States was proceeding without a well-defined alternative strategy.

It added that regional countries and US allies were already aware of the likelihood of an Iranian response and had warned Trump accordingly.

However, inconsistencies in US policy made the situation more complex.

The report said the conflict has shaken the trust of US allies and sparked global worries about the risk of an arms race in the region.

It also pointed to a clear shift in Trump’s approach to Iran — moving from earlier calls for regime change to later hints that some sanctions might be eased.

Overall, the newspaper described Trump’s policies as inconsistent, leaving allies unsure of Washington’s direction and heightening the chance of new crises on the global stage.

Donald Trump’s abrupt pause in his showdown with Iran followed warnings from Gulf states that the war was veering into a far more perilous phase and rising fears among officials in the region that Washington had misjudged Tehran’s readiness to escalate, regional sources and ​analysts said.

Gulf Arab states warned him directly that US strikes on Iran’s power plants would trigger Iranian retaliation on their own vital energy and desalination facilities, according to three regional sources who declined to be identified due ‌to the sensitivity of the matter.

Trump had threatened to hit Iran’s electricity grid unless Tehran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of global energy supplies from Gulf oil and gas producers.

But Iran refused to yield, the strait stayed shut, oil markets spiked, and global equities fell — exposing the limits of Trump’s leverage.

Iran sent a warning to Gulf capitals, via an Arab intermediary, that any US strike on its power plants would unleash unlimited retaliation, two other regional sources said.

“Trump totally miscalculated when he said ‘you’ve got 48 hours to open the strait’,” said Alan Eyre, a former US diplomat and Iran expert.

“Once it ​became clear Iran was serious about hitting Gulf energy infrastructure in response, he had to back down.”

Trump in close contact with ME partners

Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute said Tehran had surprised Trump with its ability ​to stay in the fight and its willingness to escalate without restraint.

“They showed no inhibitions, no restrictions, no holdbacks.”

There was no immediate response to requests for comment for this article from the ⁠Iranian government, Gulf Arab states and the US State Department.

Asked for comment, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said President Trump had assessed that the US is close to completing its defined objectives for Operation Epic Fury.

She added: “The president is in close contact with ​our partners in the Middle East, and the Iranian regime’s attacks on its neighbours prove how imperative it was that President Trump eliminate this threat to our country and our allies.”

Trump’s pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure, the regional sources and analysts say, ​appeared to be a recognition that the war he had threatened to escalate was already slipping beyond his control, and its costs now outweighed any political advantage from projecting American strength.

Behind the scenes, efforts to curb wider spillover continued through intermediaries including Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt, as well as Gulf partners unnerved at being drawn into a war they neither chose nor controlled.

Ebtesam Al Ketbi, president of the Emirates Policy Centre, said Trump’s pause pointed to two possible trajectories.

One is tactical — buying time to complete deployments, test Iran’s response and issue a final warning before a larger strike.

The other is strategic — using de‑escalation to ​prepare the ground for a broader deal, including a reset of the regional security rules of engagement in the Gulf.

In either case, she said, the war has not ended; it has simply been repurposed as leverage.

Gulf states put at enormous risk

From the outset, Iran escalated by attacking Gulf infrastructure and shipping, raising the spectre of a prolonged shock to oil, gas, LNG and trade through Hormuz.

Gulf states, Vatanka said, were left paying the highest price.

“If I were a Gulf leader, I’d be furious,” he said.

“They were put at ‌enormous risk without ⁠their consent, and the damage inflicted in four weeks could take years to undo.“

Analysts said Trump misjudged both Iran’s resilience and the scale of the regional and global fallout.

Expecting Tehran to be too weak, divided or deterred to respond forcefully, he instead faced asymmetric escalation that imposed heavy costs on US partners and the global economy, analysts and officials said.

The result was a familiar Trump pivot: tough rhetoric, paired with delay.

Preserving his options meant stepping back from an escalation that risked turning a show of strength into a presidency‑defining quagmire, the analysts said.

The deeper problem, analysts say, is that the war has shattered the status quo that Trump seemed to believe he could reshape.

Iran, battered but not broken, has drawn a stark lesson: deterrence works.

A mix of confidence and fear now shapes ​Tehran’s calculus: Extract something durable from this war, or risk ​being dragged back into it, the analysts said.

For Trump, any ⁠deal would be narrower, costlier and harder to sell than he might prefer.

“Iran feels partly emboldened and partly afraid,” Eyre said.

“They’ve taken heavy damage, destruction and death, and don’t want to go through this again. But they can’t go back to the old status quo,“ he said, because Israel would simply “mow the grass” — attack — again.

Iran seeks broader settlement

Senior sources in Tehran said Iran’s negotiating ​stance has hardened sharply since the war began, signalling that any serious talks could come at a steep price for Trump.

Iran would seek binding guarantees against future military action, compensation for ​wartime losses and formal control over Hormuz, ⁠the sources said.

Any Iranian attempt at controlling the strait would alarm the Gulf states, who share the waterway and worry that Iran will seek a new regional hegemony harmful to their interests.

Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Saudi‑based Gulf Research Centre, told Reuters the strait “remains a vital strategic and economic route, and its stability is non-negotiable.”

Vali Nasr, an Iranian-American academic and foreign policy expert, said Iran is no longer seeking a return to the pre‑war status quo but a broader settlement — one that would include security guarantees, economic relief and a different balance of power ⁠in the Gulf.

US ​officials, the regional sources say, appear willing to engage indirectly with Iran through intermediaries, suggesting a potential back-channel for negotiations even as both sides publicly maintain ​a hard line.

Central to any potential deal, analysts say, is Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guards commander with the stature to negotiate while retaining credibility with hardliners.

Even as Tehran signals openness to talks, its stance remains cautious, projecting deterrence while scarred by the damage it has sustained.

This reflects a strategy ​of showing strength without inviting further destruction, said Iranian‑American historian Arash Azizi.

Any resolution, he adds, would likely require regional buy-in and potentially backing from global powers such as Russia or China.

The Pentagon is expected to send thousands of soldiers from ​the army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division to the ‌Middle East, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday, adding to the massive military buildup even as the ​Trump administration seeks talks with Iran.

The officials, ​speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not ⁠specify where in the Middle East the troops would ​go and when they would arrive in the region.

​The soldiers are stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The US military referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately ​respond to a request for comment.

No decision had been ​made to send troops into Iran itself, one of the sources ‌told ⁠Reuters, but they will build up capacity for potential future operations in the region.

The soldiers’ deployment would be in addition to the deployment last week of thousands ​of marines ​and sailors aboard ⁠the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship, along with its Marine Expeditionary Unit ​and accompanying warships.

The expected deployments come just ​a day ⁠after President Donald Trump postponed threats to bomb Iranian power plants, saying there had been “productive” talks with Iran.

But ⁠after ​Trump’s Truth Social comment on Monday, ​Iran denied that any talks had been held.

Bahrain has put forward a draft UN Security Council resolution that would authorise ​countries to use “all necessary means” — diplomatic language for force — to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Diplomats said the draft text was backed by other Gulf Arab states and the United States, although they said it was unlikely to get through the council, where Russia and China had veto power.

France circulated a more conciliatory alternative draft resolution on Monday evening.

The move underscores mounting concern in the region that Iran could continue to threaten ​the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint that carries about a fifth of global oil supplies and underpins Gulf economies.

Closing the Strait has been one ​of Iran’s main objectives.

Shipping through the waterway has ground to a near-halt after Iran hit vessels in its conflict with ⁠the US and Israel.

The draft resolution calls Iran’s actions a threat to international peace and security.

The Bahraini text would authorise countries, acting alone or through voluntary multinational naval ​coalitions, to use “all necessary means” in and around the Strait of Hormuz — including in the territorial waters of countries along its shores — to ensure passage and to prevent ​moves that block or interfere with international navigation.

The resolution also expresses the readiness to impose measures, including targeted sanctions.

The Bahraini and US missions at the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The draft text “demands that the Islamic Republic of Iran immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels and any attempt to impede lawful transit passage or freedom of navigation in ​and around the Strait of Hormuz.”

French motion makes no mention of Iran

The resolution would be placed under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, which allows the council ​to authorise actions ranging from sanctions to the use of force.

Two European and one Western diplomat said there was little prospect of such a resolution being adopted by the Security Council, as ‌Iran’s allies ⁠Russia and China were likely to veto the text if needed.

A resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the US, Britain and France to be adopted by the 15-member body.

The Russian and Chinese missions to the United Nations were not immediately available for comment.

France on Monday put forward its own draft, seeking a more conciliatory tone and broader support within the council.

President Emmanuel Macron, who has suggested having a UN framework for any action in the Hormuz, has ​refused to take part in any immediate ​operations to secure the Strait, saying ⁠that international efforts could only happen once hostilities calm and with Iran’s consent.

The French resolution makes no mention of Iran and is not under Chapter Seven.

It “urges all parties to refrain from further escalation, calls for a cessation of the ongoing hostilities in ​the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, and calls for a return to the path ​of diplomacy.”

Rather than authorising ⁠action, the text encourages states with an interest in commercial maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate strictly defensive efforts to ensure the safety and security of navigation, including through the escort of merchant and commercial vessels, in full respect of international law, including the law of the sea.

Three ​US officials have told Reuters that 2,500 Marines, along with the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ​ship, and accompanying warships, would deploy to the region, although they did not say what their role would be.

Two officials said there had been no decision on whether to send troops into Iran itself.

Sources ​previously told Reuters that possible targets could include Iran’s coast or Kharg Island oil export hub.

Israel will occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River to create a “defensive buffer”, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday, spelling out for the first ‌time Israel’s intent to seize territory amounting to nearly a tenth of Lebanon.

At a meeting with the military chief of staff, Katz said Israeli forces would “control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani,” a river that meets the Mediterranean about 30 km north of Israel’s border.

Lebanese group Hezbollah said it would fight to prevent Israeli troops from occupying southern Lebanon, calling such a move an “existential threat” to the Lebanese state.

Senior Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah ​said any Israeli occupation south of the Litani would be met with resistance. “We have no choice but to confront this aggression and cling to the land,” he told Reuters.

Israel has destroyed ​five bridges over the river since March 13 and accelerated the demolition of homes in Lebanese villages near the border, part of what it says ⁠is a campaign against Hezbollah rather than civilians.

Under international law, attacks on civilian infrastructure, including homes and bridges, are generally prohibited.

Katz has previously warned Lebanon’s government that it would lose territory if it failed ​to disarm Hezbollah.

The Israeli military declined to comment on Katz’s remarks.

It has ​previously said that ground troops were carrying out limited, targeted raids near the border.

Israel has repeatedly invaded Lebanon in recent decades and occupied the south until 2000.

Israel seeks buffer zone

Katz had said there could be no homes or residents in areas of southern Lebanon where there was “terror”, in an apparent reference to Hezbollah, whose fighters have continued to battle Israeli troops in southern Lebanese villages.

He ​said forces were establishing a “forward defensive line”, destroying infrastructure, including homes he described as “terrorist outposts”.

For the second time this week, Katz compared the approach to that taken by the Israeli military ​in Gaza, saying buildings near the border were being cleared and demolished “to create a defensive buffer and push the threat away from communities”.

On Monday, radical finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel should annex southern Lebanon up to the river.

There ‌was no ⁠immediate comment from the Lebanese government. Residents who have fled the south decried the silence.

“If our government isn’t standing with us, what is it we can do?” said Najib Hussein Halawi, who fled his hometown of Kfar Kila near the border weeks ago. He says the village is in ruins.

Israel’s strikes across southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut have caused widespread destruction and killed more than 1,000 people, according to Lebanese authorities, with over a million residents forced from their homes.

The UN human rights chief has criticised Israel’s actions, particularly its use of evacuation orders.

‘Pay the price for someone else’

Among those killed are almost ​120 children, 80 women and 40 medical personnel, according ​to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed in fighting in Lebanon.

An overnight strike hit an apartment in Bchamoun, a mountainous area southeast of Beirut, killing three people, including a three-year-old girl, according to the health ministry.

The blast tore open walls and scorched furniture in a neighbouring ​apartment.

Its owner, Rawaa Eido, told Reuters that militants who expect to be targeted should not be staying in residential buildings. “We don’t have any ​political affiliation to anyone at ⁠all…Why — when they’re being targeted — do they want to hide in houses among people?” she said, in tears. There was no comment from the Israeli military.

Lebanon on Tuesday declared the Iranian ambassador persona non grata and gave him until Sunday to leave, after ordering the departure of dozens of other Iranian nationals, including diplomats, earlier this month.

It said the move did not represent a severing of diplomatic ties with Iran.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon ⁠Saar, in ​a post on X, praised Lebanon’s decision.

Iran’s negotiating posture has hardened sharply since the war began, and it will demand significant concessions from the United States if mediation efforts lead to serious negotiations, three senior sources in Tehran said.

In any talks with the US, Iran would not only demand an end to the war but concessions that are likely red lines for ​US President Donald Trump — guarantees against future military action, compensation for wartime losses and formal control of the Strait of ​Hormuz, the sources said.

Iran would also refuse to negotiate any limitations to its ballistic missile programme, they ⁠said, an issue that had been a red line for Tehran during the talks that were taking place when the US and ​Israel launched their attack last month.

Trump said on Monday that Washington had already had “very, very strong talks” with Tehran more ​than three weeks into the war, but Iran has publicly denied this.

Israel doubts agreement is possible

Three senior Israeli officials also said on Tuesday that, although Trump seemed determined to reach a deal, they viewed it as unlikely that Tehran would agree to US demands, which they believed would include an end ​to Iran’s ballistic missile and ​nuclear programmes.

Iran’s use of ballistic ⁠missiles and its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually flows, have been its most effective responses to the US-Israeli ​strikes.

It could not agree to give these up without leaving itself defenceless against further attacks, analysts ​say.

Iranian strategists may ⁠also be unwilling to trust agreements with the US and Israel after coming under attack following an earlier deal last year, despite being involved in talks that were then current.

They have also watched Israel continuing to strike Lebanon and Gaza after the ceasefires there.

Inside Iran, domestic concerns ⁠are also ​constraining Tehran’s manoeuvring room in negotiations, the senior Iranian sources said.

These concerns included ​the greater clout of the Revolutionary Guards, uncertainty at the top of the system, with the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, having not yet appeared in photographs or video ​since his appointment, and a public narrative of resilience in the war.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday and exchanged views on the evolving regional situation.  

Ishaq Dar spoke with his UAE counterpart and underscored the importance of peace and stability, calling for immediate de-escalation and emphasising that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path forward, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.  

Dar also expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives, including three Pakistani nationals, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast solidarity with the UAE.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ‌said on Tuesday he was willing to host talks between the United States and Iran on ending the war, a day after President Donald Trump postponed threats to bomb Iranian power plants after what he called “productive” ​talks.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan welcomes and ​fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end the war in the ⁠Middle East.

“Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured ​to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ​ongoing conflict,” he said.

Shehbaz emphasised that dialogue is the key to ensuring peace and stability not only in the Middle East but across the broader region.

The prime minister said that Pakistan supports initiatives to hold meaningful discussions to resolve the crisis.

He noted that such diplomatic engagement is crucial for achieving a sustainable and comprehensive settlement of the conflict.

Highlighting Pakistan’s readiness to contribute, Shehbaz Sharif said the country stands ready and would be honoured to host talks, subject to the concurrence of the US and Iran.

According to a media report, direct talks on ending the war could be held in Islamabad as soon as this week.

The report said US Vice President JD Vance, as well as Witkoff and Kushner, are expected to meet ⁠Iranian officials in ​Islamabad this week, following a call between President Donald Trump and Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Trump said on Monday the US and Iran had held “very good and productive” conversations about a “complete and total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East”.

He said talks had begun on Sunday and ​continued into Monday, with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner involved.

Iran’s parliament ​speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf – the interlocutor on the Iranian side, according to an Israeli official and two ‌other sources ⁠familiar with the matter – said no talks had taken place, describing suggestions that they had taken place as “fake news”.

Iran’s veteran supreme leader and a host of other top figures and Revolutionary Guards commanders have been killed in US-Israeli strikes, but the ruling system has maintained its ability to strategise and operate in the war that began on February 28.

Born from a 1979 revolution, the Islamic Republic built a complex power structure with layered institutions buttressed by a shared commitment to the survival of the theocratic system rather than relying on a small number ​of individuals.

Here is a guide to who now wields power and influence in a depleted but resilient hierarchy:

Is Supreme Leader really in charge?

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed ‌in one of the first strikes of the war.

In office since 1989, he enjoyed unquestioning command throughout the system and the last say on all major issues.

Under Iran’s official ideology of velayat-e faqih, or ‘rule of the Islamic jurist’, the supreme leader is a learned cleric wielding temporal power.

The leader’s office, known as the bayt, has a large staff that shadows other parts of Iran’s government, allowing the leader to intervene directly across the bureaucracy.

The new leader, Khamenei’s son ​Mojtaba, has inherited the role and its extensive formal powers, but he lacks the automatic authority enjoyed by his father.

The choice of the Revolutionary Guards, he may also be beholden to the hardline military corps.

He was ​wounded in the strikes and has been referred to on state TV as a “janbaz”, or “wounded veteran” of the current conflict.

More than three weeks after his appointment, he has ⁠not been seen in any photograph or video clip by Iranians and has only issued two written statements, raising questions over his condition.

How central is IRGC?

The Guards have been growing in influence for decades, ​but in the midst of a war and after the killing of Ali Khamenei and the installation of Mojtaba Khamenei, they have assumed an even more central role in strategic decision-making.

Long prepared to withstand decapitation of their leadership, the Guards have a “mosaic” organisational ​structure with a line of replacements already named for each commander, and every unit able to operate independently according to set plans.

Many top-ranking Guards commanders were killed early on — following a long list of senior commanders killed in strikes last year — but they have been replaced with other experienced men who have so far proven able to manage a complex war effort.

That resilience reflects the command depth of a corps that took the lead in the devastating 1980-88 war with Iraq and has spearheaded Iran’s close involvement with groups fighting in ​a host of other conflicts around the Middle East for decades.

What role does the political leadership play?

Iran’s political system merges clerical rule with an elected president and parliament, and they all have a significant role in running the Islamic ​Republic along with the Guards.

The killing of the late Khamenei’s main adviser, Ali Larijani, was a real blow to the ruling authorities given his extensive experience, his ability to operate between Iran’s different power centres and his skills negotiating with the outside world.

Other capable, ‌experienced political ⁠figures remain, but the more prominent ones likely to step into the shoes of Larijani and other assassinated individuals may be more hardline than those who have been killed.

Who are the big names left?

* Revolutionary Guards head Ahmad Vahidi: the corps’ latest commander was appointed after his two immediate predecessors were killed.

Influential in the Guards for years, he fought in the Iran-Iraq war, ran the Qods Force, served as defence minister and helped crush internal dissent.

* Revolutionary Guards’ Qods Force chief Esmail Qaani: A secretive figure, he has managed Iran’s ties with proxies and allies across the region since taking over the unit in 2020 when its veteran leader Qassem Soleimani was killed by a US drone.

* Revolutionary Guards ​naval head Alireza Tangsiri: An experienced commander in place since ​2018, Tangsiri has played a significant part in ⁠Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

* Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf: a former Revolutionary Guards commander, Tehran mayor and failed presidential candidate, Qalibaf may be the biggest political heavyweight still alive.

He has been increasingly vocal over recent weeks, setting out Iran’s stance as the war has developed and was said by an Israeli official and a source familiar with the ​matter to have been negotiating with the US over recent days.

* Judiciary Head Ayatollah Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei: a former intelligence head sanctioned for his role in the ​repression of mass protests in 2009, ⁠Mohseni-Ejei is widely seen as a hardliner.

* President Masoud Pezeshkian: While Iran’s presidency is far less important than it once was, Pezeshkian is the most senior directly elected figure in Iran, giving him an important voice.

The limits of his influence were starkly illustrated earlier this month when he incurred the Guards’ ire by apologising to Gulf states for Iranian attacks on their territory, and he had to partially retract his comments.

* Former Supreme National Security chief Saeed Jalili: An injured veteran of the Iran-Iraq ⁠war and one ​of the most hardline figures in Iranian politics, he was the losing 2024 presidential candidate and uncompromising former nuclear negotiator.

* Guardian Council member Ayatollah ​Alireza Arafi: The senior cleric is a leading member of the Guardian Council, the body that chooses which candidates to exclude from elections, and was so well-trusted that he was chosen to join the three-man interim council running Iran after Khamenei’s death.

* Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi: The veteran diplomat ​has conducted high-stakes negotiations with Iran’s Western foes for years, as well as with global powers Russia and China, which have a better relationship with Tehran, and with Iran’s Arab neighbours and rivals.

Amid mediation efforts led by Pakistan and other countries, talks between the United States and Iran are expected to take place in Islamabad this week, diplomatic sources said on Monday.

According to media reports, efforts by mediation nations aim to hold these crucial discussions in Pakistan’s capital.

Pakistan has stepped up its role as a mediator, actively working to bring about a ceasefire and reduce tensions between the two countries.

Dr Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, is expected to represent Iran in the negotiations.

The United States will be represented by Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and possibly JD Vance, according to the sources.

The talks come at a time when the situation in the region and the global energy crisis have intensified.

Pakistan, along with Turkey and Egypt, has played an important role in mediating recent de-escalation talks in the region.

Reuters reported that the Iranian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that steps are being taken to reduce tensions, with Iran calling for direct participation from the United States, the country that initiated the war.

An American source also said that the objective of the talks is to bring an end to the ongoing conflict and resolve other outstanding issues between the two nations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Monday held a telephone conversation with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The two leaders discussed the prevailing regional situation.

Ishaq Dar emphasised the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to promote peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond.

Both sides agreed to remain in close contact on the evolving situation.

Dar, Iraqi FM hold talks

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Monday held a telephonic conversation with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Iraq, Fuad Hussein, on the prevailing regional situation.

Both leaders expressed deep concern over the ongoing regional escalation and its wider implications.

Speaking on the occasion, Ishaq Dar underscored the need for collective efforts to de-escalate tensions and prevent further instability, emphasising that dialogue and adherence to international law remain essential for ensuring peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond.

The two leaders also exchanged Eid-ul-Fitr greetings.

Less than 48 hours before the US-Israeli strike on Iran began, radical Israeli regime leader Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone to US President Donald Trump about the reasons for launching the kind of complex, far-off war the American leader once had campaigned against.

Both Trump and Netanyahu knew from intelligence briefings earlier in the week that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his key lieutenants would soon meet at his compound in Tehran, ​making them vulnerable to a “decapitation strike” – an attack against a country’s top leaders often used by Israelis but traditionally less so by the United States.

But new intelligence suggested that the meeting had been moved forward to Saturday morning from Saturday night, according to three people briefed on the call.

The call has not been previously reported.

Netanyahu, ‌determined to move forward with an operation he had urged for decades, argued that there might never be a better chance to kill Khamenei and to avenge previous alleged Iranian efforts to assassinate Trump, these people said.

By the time the call took place, Trump already had approved the idea of the United States carrying out a military operation against Iran but had not yet decided when or under what circumstances the United States would get involved, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.

The US military had for weeks built up a presence in the region, prompting many within the administration to conclude it was just ​a matter of when the president would decide to move forward.

One possible date, just a few days earlier, had been scuttled because of bad weather.

Reuters was unable to determine how Netanyahu’s argument affected Trump as he contemplated issuing orders to strike, but the call amounted to the Israeli leader’s closing argument to his US counterpart.

The three sources briefed on ​the call said they believed it — along with the intelligence showing a closing window to kill Iran’s leader — was a catalyst for Trump’s final decision to order the military on February 27 to move ahead with Operation Epic Fury.

Trump could make history by helping eliminate an Iranian leadership long ⁠reviled by the West, Netanyahu argued.

Iranians might even take to the streets, he said.

The first bombs struck on Saturday morning, February 28. Trump announced that evening that Khamenei was dead.

In response to a request for comment, White House spokeswoman Anna ​Kelly did not directly address the call between Trump and Netanyahu but told Reuters the military operation was designed to “destroy the Iranian ballistic missile and production capacity, annihilate the Iranian Navy, end their ability to arm proxies, and guarantee that Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon.”

Neither Netanyahu’s office nor Iran’s UN representative responded to comment requests.

Netanyahu in a news conference on Thursday, dismissed as “fake news” claims ​that “Israel somehow dragged the US into a conflict with Iran.

Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do? Come on.”

Trump has said publicly that the decision to strike was his alone.

Reuters reporting, with officials and others close to both leaders speaking mostly on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of internal deliberations, does not suggest that Netanyahu forced Trump to go to war.

But the reporting shows that the Israeli leader was an effective advocate and that his framing of the decision — including the opportunity to kill an Iranian leader who allegedly had overseen efforts to kill Trump – was persuasive to the president.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in early March suggested that revenge was at least one motive for the operation, telling reporters, “Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh.”

Trump ran his campaign in 2024 based on his first administration’s foreign policy ​of “America First” and said publicly that he wanted to avoid war with Iran, preferring to deal with Tehran diplomatically.

But as discussions over Iran’s nuclear programme failed to produce a deal last spring, Trump began contemplating a strike, according to the three people familiar with White House deliberations.

A first attack came in June, when Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities and missile sites and killed several Iranian leaders.

US forces ​later joined the attack, and when that joint operation ended after 12 days, Trump publicly revelled in the success, saying the US had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Yet months later, talks began again between the US and Israel about a second aerial attack aimed at hitting additional missile facilities and preventing Iran from gaining the ability to build a nuclear weapon.

The Israelis also wanted to kill Khamenei. The Israelis began to plan their attack on Iran under the assumption they would be acting alone, Defence Minister Israel Katz told Israel’s N12 News on March 5.

But during a December visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Netanyahu told Trump that he was not fully satisfied with the outcome of the joint operation in June, said two people familiar with the relationship between the two leaders, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Trump indicated he was open to another bombing campaign, the people added, but he also wanted to try another round of diplomatic talks.

Two events pushed Trump toward attacking Iran again, according to several US and Israeli officials and diplomats.

The US operation on January 3 to capture Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas — which resulted in no American deaths while removing from power a longstanding US foe — demonstrated the possibility that ambitious military operations could have few collateral consequences for US forces.

Later that same month, massive anti-government protests erupted in Iran, prompting a hard response by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, killing thousands.

Trump vowed to help the protesters but did little immediately that was ​public.

Privately, however, cooperation intensified between the Israel Defence Forces and the US military’s Middle East command, ​known as CENTCOM, with joint military planning conducted during secret meetings, according to two Israeli ⁠officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Not long after, during a February visit by Netanyahu to Washington, the Israeli leader briefed Trump on Iran’s growing ballistic missile program, pointing out specific sites of concern.

He also laid out the dangers of the ballistic missile programme, including the risk that Iran might eventually gain the ability to strike the American homeland, said three people familiar with the private conversations.

The White House did not respond to questions about Trump’s December and February meetings with Netanyahu.

Trump’s chance at history

By late February, many US officials and regional diplomats considered a US attack on Iran very likely to ​proceed, though the details remained uncertain, according to two other US officials, one Israeli official and two additional officials familiar with the matter.

Trump was briefed by Pentagon and intelligence officials on the potential advantages to be gained from a successful attack, including the decimation of Iran’s missile programme, ​according to two people familiar with those briefings.

Before the phone ⁠call between Netanyahu and Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a small group of top Congressional leaders on February 24 that Israel was likely to attack Iran, whether or not the US participated, and Iran would then likely retaliate against US targets, according to three people briefed on the meeting.

Behind Rubio’s warning was an assessment by American intelligence officials that such an attack would indeed provoke counterstrikes from Iran against US diplomatic and military outposts and US Gulf allies, said three sources familiar with US intelligence reports.

This prediction proved accurate. The strikes have led to Iranian counterattacks on US military assets, the deaths of more than 2,300 Iranian civilians and at least 13 US service members, attacks on US Gulf allies, the closure of one of the world’s most vital shipping routes and a historic spike in oil prices that is already being felt by ⁠consumers in the United States ​and beyond.

Trump had also been briefed that there was a chance, even if small, that the killing of Iran’s top leaders could usher in a government in Tehran that was more willing to negotiate with Washington, said two other people ​familiar with Rubio’s briefing.

The possibility of regime change was one of Netanyahu’s arguments in the call shortly before Trump gave final orders to attack Iran, said the people briefed on it.

That view was not held by the Central Intelligence Agency, which had assessed in the weeks prior that Khamenei would likely be replaced by an internal hardliner if he were killed, as Reuters previously reported.

The CIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump repeatedly called for an uprising after Khamenei was killed. With ​the war in its fourth week and the region engulfed in conflict, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards still patrol the nation’s streets.

Millions of Iranians remain sheltered in their homes.

Khamenei’s son Mojtaba, considered even more harshly anti-American than his father, has been named the new supreme leader of Iran.

Pakistan is stepping up its role as a key mediator in efforts to bring an end to the ongoing war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, utilising its unique position and diplomatic ties, the British daily Financial Times said in a report.

The country’s military leadership, particularly Field Marshal Asim Munir, is leveraging its strong relations with both Tehran and US President Donald Trump to broker peace, the report said.

The media report said that senior Pakistani officials were back-channelling communications between Tehran, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

On Sunday, Army Chief Asim Munir had a significant conversation with President Trump, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif engaged in talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday.

The timing of the conversation between Sharif and Pezeshkian coincided with Trump’s announcement that he was delaying his threat to strike Iran’s power plants, following what he described as “very good and productive” talks with Tehran, the report added.

The exact connection between Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts and Trump’s post on his Truth Social platform, which led to a sharp decline in oil prices, remains unclear.

The White House has declined to comment further, citing the sensitive nature of the discussions.

“These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the news media,” the White House stated.

Pakistan’s involvement in mediation comes at a time when the US-Iran conflict, now in its fourth week, continues to escalate.

With few allies in the region, Pakistan’s neutral stance, unmarked by any major US military presence on its soil, has made it one of the few countries spared from Iranian missile attacks, the report added.

This position has enabled Pakistan to play the role of an impartial mediator between the US and Iran, the report stated.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday.

Additionally, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also participated in discussions with Iranian and Pakistani officials.

Iran denies negotiations with US

Despite the flurry of diplomatic activity, Iranian media reported that Tehran had not been involved in any negotiations with the US.

An unnamed senior Iranian security official told the Tasnim news agency that “there have been no negotiations.”

Pakistan’s mediating role

Despite the challenges, Pakistan’s role in bridging the gap between the US and Iran remains vital.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured President Pezeshkian during their talks that Pakistan would continue to facilitate peace efforts.

“Pakistan will continue to play a constructive role in facilitating peace,” the official readout from the conversation stated.

In recent statements, Pakistani officials have emphasised their leadership in mediation efforts, even as the conflict continues to unfold.

Pakistan’s neutral position in the region has enhanced its credibility as a mediator, making it one of the few countries in the area not targeted by Iranian military strikes.

On the other hand, other mediating countries, including Egypt and Turkey, are trying to hold the Iran-US talks in Islamabad this week.

US officials, including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and JD Vance, are likely to participate in these talks.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said there have been talks between the United States and Iran over the past day in ​which the two sides had “major points of agreement,” adding that a deal could be done soon ‌to settle the war.

Trump said his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and close aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner talked to the Iranians on Sunday and that discussions would continue on Monday.

“We have had very, very strong talks. We’ll see where they lead. We have points, major ​points of agreement, I would say, almost all points of agreement… we’ve had very strong talks, Mr Witkoff ​and Mr Kushner had them,” Trump said.

“All I’m saying is, we are in the throes ⁠of a real possibility of making a deal,” he told reporters before departing Florida for Memphis.

He declined to say ​who the United States was speaking with in Iran, but said it was not Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. ​Trump said Iran “had some leaders left.”

“We’re dealing with the man who I believe is the most respected and the leader,” Trump said.

Iran’s Fars news agency, citing a source, said there are no direct or indirect communications with the United States.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi’s ministry said there were “initiatives” to reduce tensions, the Mehr news agency reported, adding that Tehran wanted Washington, as the party that began the war, to be a ​direct participant.

Trump also said he had spoken with US war ally Israel, which he said would be “very happy with what we have.”

More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war that the US and Israel launched ‌on February 28, ⁠which has upended markets, driven up fuel costs, accelerated global inflation fears and convulsed the Western defence alliance.

Israel should extend its border with Lebanon up to the Litani River deep inside the country’s south, Israel’s finance minister said ​on Monday as Israeli troops bombed bridges and destroyed homes in the area in an escalating military assault.

The comments by Finance Minister ‌Bezalel Smotrich were the most explicit yet by a senior Israeli official on seizing Lebanese territory in a fight Israel says targets Hezbollah activists.

Lebanon was pulled into the regional war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired missiles into Israel.

Since then, Israel has ordered all residents to leave the area south of the Litani River as it pummels the area with air strikes, ​viewing it as a Hezbollah stronghold.

Lebanese authorities say the Israeli air and ground assault has killed more than 1,000 people, and more than a ​million have been driven from their homes with Israel having ordered residents to flee swathes of the country.

‘New Israeli border must be Litani’

Smotrich told an Israeli radio programme that the military campaign in Lebanon “needs to end with a different reality entirely, both with the Hezbollah ​decision but also with the change of Israel’s borders.”

“I say here definitively…in every room and in every discussion, too: the new Israeli border must be the Litani,” Smotrich ​said.

Smotrich, leader of a radical party in extremist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, often makes comments that go beyond official Israeli policy.

Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the remarks.

Radical Israeli defence minister Israel Katz hinted earlier this month at plans to capture land, saying Lebanon could face “loss of territory” if it did not disarm Hezbollah.

Smotrich’s remarks were deeply ​resonant in Lebanon, which is trying to emerge from a decades-old cycle of invasions and occupations by its neighbour.

Israeli forces have launched repeated assaults on Lebanon ​since 1978 and occupied the south from 1982-2000.

A Lebanese official told Reuters that Beirut was still counting on foreign powers to put enough pressure on Israel to put an end ‌to the ⁠war, through an offer from President Joseph Aoun to hold direct talks.

Smotrich also called for Israel to annex territory it now controls in the Gaza Strip, up to an armistice line with Hamas.

A ceasefire signed in October left Israel in control of 53% of Gaza, where it has ordered residents out and bulldozed buildings.

The Israeli military says its troops in Lebanon are carrying out ground manoeuvres and targeted raids on Hezbollah members and weapons stores, aimed at protecting residents in northern Israel ​from Hezbollah fire.

The Lebanese government has ​outlawed Hezbollah activity and said ⁠it wants to engage in direct talks with Israel.

Routes to north being cut off

Over the weekend, Israel struck a main bridge linking south Lebanon with the rest of the country after ordering its military to destroy all crossings over the Litani River ​and to step up the demolition of homes near the southern border.

International law generally prohibits militaries from attacking civilian infrastructure, ​and the United Nations ⁠human rights chief has criticised Israel’s actions in Lebanon, particularly its use of widespread evacuation orders.

Israeli strikes hit two more crossings on the Litani River on Monday — a road running near a main bridge hit on Sunday and another small bridge on another section of the river.

Hanna Amil, the mayor of the Christian border town Rmeish, whose residents ⁠have refused to ​leave their homes, told Reuters that it was getting increasingly difficult to move around.

“Once or twice ​a week, a convoy from the Lebanese army accompanies us as we try to get basic goods from nearby areas,” he said.

“Already, we have no state electricity, no water and we have diesel ​shortages. If all the routes to the north get cut off, who knows what the future could hold for us,” Amil said.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he had given orders to postpone ​any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, hours ahead of a deadline that threatened further escalation in the conflict now in its fourth week.

Trump added in a post ‌on his Truth Social platform that the US and Iran had had “VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE” conversations over the past two days about a “COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST”.

A reporter for the US news outlet Axios said Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan had met White House envoy Steve Witkoff and, separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The reporter, Barak Ravid, cited an unnamed US source as saying the discussion was about ending the war and resolving all outstanding issues.

Araghchi’s ministry said there were “initiatives” to reduce ​tensions, the Mehr news agency reported, adding that Tehran wanted Washington, as the party that began the war, to be a direct participant.

The White House did not respond to questions about the content ​of the talks, who participated or where they were held.

Oil drops, stocks recover

In his message, written entirely in capital letters, Trump said he had instructed ⁠the Defence Department to postpone the strikes pending the outcome of the talks.

He also told Fox Business Network that Iran wanted badly to make a deal, which could come inside five days.

A source briefed on ​Israel’s war plans said Washington had kept it informed of its talks with Tehran, and that Israel was likely to follow Washington in suspending any targeting of Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure.

The Israeli prime minister’s office ​did not immediately respond to a request for comment on talks with Iran or Washington’s decision to suspend strikes on some Iranian targets.

Trump’s comments briefly sent the price of the Brent crude oil benchmark down around 13% to back below $100 a barrel.

By 1245 GMT, it stood around $101.80.

Global markets also recovered sharply, with US stock futures reversing losses to gain around 1.3%.

On Saturday, Trump had warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed if Tehran failed to “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within ​48 hours.

Trump set a deadline of around 7.44pm EDT on Monday.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Monday threatened retaliation, saying they would attack Israel’s power plants and those supplying US bases across the Gulf region ​if Trump followed through with his threat.

More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war the US and Israel launched on February 28, which has upended markets, driven up fuel costs, accelerated global inflation fears and convulsed the Western ‌defence alliance.

However, the ⁠threat of strikes on Gulf electricity grids raised fears of mass disruption to desalination for drinking water, and further rattled oil markets.

While attacks on electricity could hurt Iran, they could be catastrophic for its Gulf neighbours, which consume around five times as much power per capita.

Electricity makes their gleaming desert cities habitable, in part by powering the desalination plants that produce 100% of the water consumed in Bahrain and Qatar.

Such plants use seawater to meet more than 80% of drinking water needs in the United Arab Emirates, and 50% of the water supply in Saudi Arabia.

Iran has effectively closed the key Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global ​oil and liquefied natural gas flows.

Tehran threatens to mine Gulf

Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy ⁠Agency, said the resulting energy crisis was worse than the two oil shocks of the 1970s and the gas shortage connected to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine put together.

Iran’s Defence Council escalated its threatened retaliation on Monday, prior to Trump’s delay, saying Tehran would cut all Gulf routes by laying sea mines if Trump followed ​through, state media reported.

“In this case, the entire Gulf will practically be in a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz for a long time …”

The Israeli ​military said early on Monday ⁠it had begun its latest broad wave of strikes on infrastructure in Tehran.

Iranian news agencies said six people had been killed and 43 injured in strikes on residential buildings in the western city of Khorramabad.

A strike on the southern city of Bushehr targeted the local meteorological organisation and killed the head of meteorology for Bushehr’s airport, state media reported.

The Iranian Red Crescent posted a video of a residential building in affluent northern Tehran with most of its facade destroyed ⁠and emergency staff ​rescuing someone on a stretcher from the upper floors.

Across the Gulf, the Saudi defence ministry said two ballistic missiles had been ​launched towards Riyadh.

One was intercepted while the other fell in an uninhabited area.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday extended Eid-ul-Fitr and Nowruz greetings to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the brotherly people of Iran.

The feelings were warmly reciprocated by the Iranian president, who also conveyed his best wishes for the people of Pakistan.

As a neighbouring brotherly country of Iran, Prime Minister Shehbaz conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the brave Iranian people in the wake of the ongoing hostilities.

He expressed deep condolences over the loss of precious lives and prayed for the early recovery and safety of those injured and displaced.

The prime minister also conveyed his serious concern over the dangerous ongoing hostilities in the Gulf region.

In view of this grave situation, the prime minister underscored the urgent need to work collectively for de-escalation and a return to dialogue and diplomacy amongst all the neighbouring countries to settle their differences.

He stressed the critical importance of unity in the ranks of the Ummah, which was required more than ever before.

While sharing with the Iranian president the diplomatic outreach efforts of Pakistan’s leadership, Prime Minister Shehbaz assured the Iranian leadership that Pakistan would continue to play a constructive role in facilitating peace in the region.

Oil prices ​plunged by more than 13% on Monday after US President Donald Trump said he would postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, hours ahead of a deadline that ​threatened further escalation in the conflict now in its ​fourth week.

Brent crude futures traded at about $104.1 a ⁠barrel, or down 7.2%, at 1130 GMT after sliding as ​much as 15% to a session low of $96 a barrel.

US ​West Texas Intermediate was down 7.8% at $90.55 after losing 13.5% to a session low of $85.28.

The US president had warned that Iranian power plants would ​be destroyed if Tehran failed to “fully open” the Strait ​of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours, setting a deadline of around ‌7.44⁠pm EDT (2344 GMT) on Monday.

His comments sparked threats of retaliation from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, which said they would attack Israel’s power plants and those supplying US bases across the Gulf ​region if Trump followed ​through with his ⁠threat to “obliterate” Iran’s power network.

The war has damaged major energy facilities in the Gulf and ​nearly halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, ​which ⁠handles about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows.

Analysts estimated a loss of 7 million to 10 million barrels ⁠per ​day of oil production in the ​Middle East.

Iran’s media rejected claims made by US President Donald Trump on Monday that any discussions had taken place between the Iranian government and the Trump administration.

The denial comes after Trump announced a delay in military strikes on Iran’s power plants, citing “positive and productive” talks with Tehran.

In a post on social media, Trump stated that the US would hold off on attacking Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days while ongoing negotiations between the two nations continued.

However, Iran’s Fars news agency swiftly contradicted these claims, citing an unnamed Iranian source who stated that no such talks had occurred — either directly or through intermediaries.

The Iranian source suggested that President Trump “backed down” from planned actions after receiving warnings that Iran would retaliate by targeting power plants in Israel and US military installations in the Gulf.

Despite Trump’s assertions that negotiations were underway, Iran’s media maintained that there had been no direct communication between the two sides.

A source briefed on Israel’s war plans said ​Washington had kept it informed of its talks with Tehran, and that Israel was likely to follow Washington in suspending any targeting of Iranian power ⁠plants and energy infrastructure.

US President Donald Trump has ordered a five-day postponement of military strikes on Iran’s power plants, stating that recent talks with Tehran have been “positive and productive.”

In a statement released on the social media platform Truth Social, President Trump announced that the United States would delay attacks on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days while negotiations between the two countries continue.

Trump said that, in light of the progress made, the US military had been instructed to defer any action against Iran’s energy facilities during this period.

He added that negotiations with Iran will continue throughout the week, and future decisions will be based on the outcome of these discussions.

The development comes amid heightened tensions, after Iran warned that if the United States targeted its power network, it could retaliate by striking Israel’s power plants as well as facilities supplying electricity to US bases in the Gulf region.

The International Energy Agency is consulting with ‌governments in Asia and Europe on the release of more stockpiled oil “if necessary” due to the Iran war, Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Monday.

“If it is necessary, of course, we will do it. We look at the conditions, we will analyse, ​assess the markets and discuss with our member countries,” Birol told the National Press Club in ​Canberra, at the start of a world tour.

IEA member nations agreed on March 11 to release ⁠a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic stockpiles to combat the spike in global crude ​prices. The drawdown represented 20% of the overall stocks.

There would not be a specific crude price level to trigger another ​release, Birol said.

“A stock release will help to comfort the markets, but this is not the solution. It will only help to reduce the pain in the economy.”

The IEA chief began his world tour in Canberra, as the Asia Pacific is at ​the forefront of the oil crisis, he said, given its reliance on oil and other crucial products like ​fertiliser and helium transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

After meeting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Birol will travel to Japan later ‌this week ⁠before a Group of Seven meeting.

He described the crisis in the Middle East as “very severe” and worse than the two oil shocks of the 1970s, as well as the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on gas, put together.

The war on Iran had taken 11 million barrels of oil per day from the global supply, more than ​the two prior oil shocks ​combined.

“The single most important ⁠solution to this problem is opening the Hormuz Strait,” he said.

“The depth of the problem was not well appreciated by the decision makers around the world,” he ​said of his decision to begin speaking publicly three weeks into the war.

Stockpile drawdowns ​are only ⁠a portion of what the IEA could do, he said.

Measures outlined by the IEA, such as lowering speed limits or implementing work-from-home measures, had reduced energy use when implemented in Europe in 2022, but each nation would need to ⁠decide ​how best to enact fuel savings, Birol said.

He said that while ​Australia’s liquid fuel holdings were lower than IEA regulations, the current government had done much to improve them and that 30 days of ​diesel was a “solid number”.

Iran will attack Israel’s power plants and those supplying U.S. bases across the Gulf region if President Donald Trump carries out his threat to “obliterate” Iran’s power network, the ​Revolutionary Guards said in a statement on Monday.

They appeared to retract earlier threats to attack desalination plants, which are crucial for providing drinking water in Gulf countries.

“The lying … U.S. president has claimed that the Revolutionary ‌Guards intend to attack the water desalination plants and cause hardship to the people of the countries in the region,” said the statement, shared on state media.

“We are determined to respond to any threat at the same level as it creates in terms of deterrence … If you hit electricity, we hit electricity.”

On Saturday, Trump warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed if Tehran failed to “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours. Trump set a deadline of around 7:44 p.m. EDT (2344 GMT) on Monday.

Iranian attacks ​have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas.

Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said the resulting energy crisis was worse than the two oil ​shocks of the 1970s and the gas shortage connected to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine put together.

Iran’s Defence Council escalated its threatened retaliation on Monday, saying Tehran would cut ⁠all Gulf routes by laying sea mines if Trump followed through, state media reported.

“Any attempt to attack Iran’s coasts or islands will cause all access routes in the Gulf … to be mined with various types of sea mines, including floating ​mines that can be released from the coast,” its statement read.

“In this case, the entire Gulf will practically be in a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz for a long time …”

Iranian media on Sunday quoted the country’s representative to ​the International Maritime Organisation as saying the strait remains open to all shipping except vessels linked to “Iran’s enemies”. Indian and Pakistani vessels are among those that have reportedly been allowed safe passage.

More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war that the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28, which has upended markets, driven up fuel costs, fuelled global inflation fears and convulsed the postwar Western alliance.

The threat of strikes on Gulf electricity grids on Sunday raised fears of mass disruption to desalination for drinking water, and further unsettled oil markets, with prices opening choppy in Asian trading.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has said that attacks on indispensable civilian infrastructure do not meet the strict definition of military objectives and amount to war crimes.

After more than three weeks of heavy U.S. and Israeli bombardment that officials say has sharply reduced Iran’s missile capabilities, Tehran has continued to demonstrate its ability to strike back.

Air raid sirens sounded across parts of northern and central Israel, including in Tel Aviv, and the occupied West Bank overnight on Sunday, warning of ‌incoming missiles from ⁠Iran.

Fears over drinking water

The Israeli military said early on Monday it had begun its latest broad wave of strikes on infrastructure in Tehran.

The Washington Post reported that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was “injured, isolated, and not responding to messages directed to him”. An Iranian official said this month that Khamenei was lightly injured.

Khamenei succeeded his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the first wave of strikes on February 28, but has not been seen in public since his appointment.

Iranian news agencies said six people had been killed and 43 injured in strikes on residential buildings in the western city of Khorramabad.

The Iranian Red Crescent posted a video of a residential building in affluent northern Tehran with most of its facade ​destroyed and emergency staff rescuing someone on a stretcher from ​the upper floors.

Across the Gulf, the Saudi defence ⁠ministry said two ballistic missiles had been launched towards Riyadh. One was intercepted while the other fell in an uninhabited area.

Trump’s threat to strike Iran’s power network came less than a day after he signalled the United States might be considering winding down the conflict, even as U.S. Marines and heavy landing craft head to the region.

While electricity attacks could hurt ​Iran, they could be catastrophic for its Gulf neighbours, which consume around five times as much power per capita.

Electricity makes their gleaming desert cities habitable, in part by ​powering the desalination plants that produce 100% ⁠of the water consumed in Bahrain and Qatar. Such plants use seawater to meet more than 80% of drinking water needs in the United Arab Emirates, and 50% of the water supply in Saudi Arabia.

The war has been taking place alongside a confrontation on a separate front between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, backed by Iran.

Israel said on Sunday its troops had raided several Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon.

Military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin told reporters Israel expects “weeks more of fighting against Iran and ⁠Hezbollah”.

Hezbollah said it ​had attacked several border areas in northern Israel. Israeli emergency services said one person was killed in a kibbutz near the border. Israel later ​said it was checking whether the death had been caused by Israeli firing.

The Israeli military announced it was expanding its ground campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, warning of a lengthy operation, after Beirut condemned what it called Israel’s flagrant violations of Lebanese sovereignty.

Israeli forces were ordered earlier Sunday to destroy bridges they said were used by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah to cross the Litani River, and Lebanese official media reported Israeli raids in several areas of the south.

An AFP correspondent saw smoke billowing from a bridge that was hit outside the city of Tyre. “The operation against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation has only begun… This is a prolonged operation,” Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a statement.

“We are now preparing to advance the targeted ground operations and strikes according to an organised plan,” he added.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had earlier warned that the bridge attacks “represent a dangerous escalation and flagrant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, and are considered a prelude to a ground invasion.”

Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in an Israeli-US strike.

Israel has sent troops into Lebanon and carried out extensive airstrikes, while Hezbollah has launched rocket barrages.

Israel’s military said Sunday it began “a wide wave of strikes” against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), three strikes on the bridge near Tyre “caused extensive damage, rendering it unusable”. It was later reported that a fourth strike occurred.

Aoun “condemned Israel’s targeting and destruction of infrastructure and vital facilities in southern Lebanon, particularly the Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River and other bridges”.

“Targeting bridges over the Litani River… is an attempt to sever the geographical link between the area south of the Litani and the rest of Lebanon’s territory,” he added.

The NNA also reported that Israeli forces were “blowing up several houses in the town of Taybeh” near the border with Israel.

Earlier Sunday, Israel said rocket fire from Lebanon killed a civilian, but later announced it was investigating whether “the incident involved fire originating from IDF soldiers”.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said US threats to strike the country’s energy infrastructure reflect “desperation,” warning of a decisive response as tensions escalate over the Strait of Hormuz.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could target Iran’s power plants if Tehran does not “fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours.”

“The illusion of erasing Iran from the map shows desperation against the will of a history-making nation,” Pezeshkian wrote on X.

He said such threats would only strengthen national unity and resolve.

“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all except those who violate our soil. We firmly confront delirious threats on the battlefield,” he emphasised.

The exchange comes amid intensifying rhetoric and military pressure in the region, with Washington pushing to reopen the strategic waterway, a critical route for global oil supplies.

Since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, Tehran has restricted tanker traffic linked to its adversaries, disrupting shipments and driving up global energy prices.

Trump, reacting to media reports, claimed the US had “blown Iran off of the map” and achieved its objectives “weeks ahead of schedule.”

He has also proposed naval escorts for tankers and sought allied support to secure the strait, though most partners have not committed forces.

Iranian officials have echoed Pezeshkian’s warning.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Tehran would “irreversibly” destroy key energy infrastructure in the region if US strikes target Iranian facilities.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned of “immediate punitive” measures in response to any attack, while the Intelligence Service of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said critical technology centres beyond the region could be targeted within 48 hours.

Israel said it struck Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon on Sunday shortly after the military was ordered to destroy bridges used by the Iran-backed militant group across the Litani River.

Lebanese official media reported Israeli raids in several areas of the south, while an AFP correspondent saw smoke billowing from a key bridge that was hit outside the city of Tyre, in an escalation in violence in Lebanon after two days of relative reprieve.

Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Israeli-US attacks.

Israel has sent troops into Lebanon and carried out extensive airstrikes in the country, while Hezbollah has kept up rocket barrages.

Israel’s military said it began “a wide wave of strikes” against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Earlier Sunday, Israel said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person, the first fatality there due to Hezbollah fire since the latest war erupted three weeks ago.

Two Israeli soldiers had previously been killed in southern Lebanon, according to the military.

Lebanon’s health ministry said four people were killed on Sunday in two strikes in the south, while authorities have reported 1,029 dead in three weeks of conflict and more than one million displaced.

Bridges

Israel’s ZAKA 360 emergency response unit said a person was pronounced dead after a strike on their vehicle “carried out by a rocket fired from Lebanon”.

Local firefighters said flames had engulfed two vehicles after a “direct hit” in the northern Israeli kibbutz community of Misgav Am.

Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters targeted “a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers” in Misgav Am “with a rocket barrage”.

It was among a series of attacks the group claimed on Sunday, mainly against Israeli troops in northern Israel and in southern Lebanon, where Israeli soldiers have been carrying out ground incursions.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military “to immediately destroy all the bridges over the Litani River that are used for terrorist activity, to prevent Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from moving south”.

The Litani River runs around 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the Israeli border.

The Israeli army later bombed the key Qasmiyeh bridge, located on a main highway outside the city of Tyre, with the AFP correspondent reporting the bridge was partly destroyed.

Earlier this week, Israel attacked two bridges spanning the Litani, also alleging they were being used by Hezbollah.

‘Commander’ killed

Katz said the military was also instructed to “accelerate the demolition of Lebanese houses in the contact villages to thwart threats to Israeli communities”.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency also reported at least one strike on the Bekaa Valley in the country’s east.

Hezbollah said its fighters repeatedly targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles in or near the border town of Taybeh, as well as in or near the strategic town of Khiam, where the group has repeatedly said it has targeted Israeli forces in recent days.

On Saturday, Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces in Khiam and in the coastal town of Naqura.

The group also claimed attacks on northern Israel on Saturday, including targeting an air defence system in Maalot-Tarshiha, where Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported three people were lightly wounded.

The Israeli military said it killed a fighter on Saturday who was the “commander of the special forces in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force”, referring to the group’s elite unit.

Israel has warned residents of swathes of south Lebanon to evacuate and has said it wants to create a buffer zone in Lebanon to protect residents of northern Israel.