Israeli authorities arrested a 22-year-old Haifa resident for his involvement in an Iranian-backed plot to assassinate a high-ranking Israeli official, with the intended target believed to be former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, reports say.

Ami Gaydarov, 22, was arrested last month on suspicion that he was working with an Iranian agent to gather intelligence and build a bomb for use in a terror plot against a high-ranking Israeli official. Gaydarov was unaware of the target’s identity. A gag order on his arrest was recently lifted, allowing Israeli media outlets to report on the case.

Authorities said Gaydarov first made contact with his Iranian handler in August 2025 and was paid roughly $23,000 — most of it in cryptocurrency — to carry out tasks in preparation for the assassination plot.

Gaydarov allegedly rented an apartment in the city’s downtown area to serve as a laboratory for the bombs.

TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL, COMMANDER KILLED IN STRIKE, ISRAEL DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS

Ami Gaydarov was arrested on March 9 by Israeli authorities on suspicion of working with Iranian handlers to harm a high-ranking official. (Israeli Police)

“To facilitate the contacts with his handlers, Gaidarov purchased dedicated phones and rented an apartment in Haifa where he produced the explosive substance, while documenting his activities in videos and photos that were sent to his handler as proof of compliance,” the Israeli police force said.

In connection with the plot, Israeli authorities have also arrested three other suspects, including Sergey Leibman and Edward Shovtiuk. The fourth suspect has not been named. Authorities said indictments for the four suspects should occur in the “coming days.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance at the Prime Minister’s Office on October 22, 2025 in Jerusalem, Israel. (Nathan Howard/Pool/Getty Images)

The terror plot was uncovered as part of Israel’s “Operation Roaring Lion,” a major military campaign launched against Iran on February 28, coinciding with the start of the war with Iran.

The arrest of the four men comes as Israeli authorities have won more than 40 indictments against more than 60 defendants working on behalf of the Iranian government. Just two months ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that the citizenship of Israelis convicted of espionage for Iran be stripped of their citizenship.

Illustration shows a missile launch from Iran with the country’s flag in the background. (iStock)

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Since the outbreak of the war with Iran, pro-Iranian attacks linked to radical groups have been on the rise. Just last week, French officials reported that a pro-Iran group was behind a failed bomb plot on a Bank of America office in Paris.

The US and Iran both claimed victory after reaching a fragile ceasefire, even as more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries.

The US president said he was suspending his threats if Iran agreed to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway.

Tehran has already proposed a 10-point plan that provided ‘a workable basis on which to negotiate’, but the agreement is already hitting roadblocks.

Iran also appears to have closed the Strait of Hormuz, after US leaders claimed it had been reopened as part of the ceasefire.

Key issues for both nations remain unresolved, including the scope of the truce, Iran’s rights to nuclear enrichment and ballistic missiles, as well as access to the Strait of Hormuz.

Dr Katayoun Shahandeh, of SOAS, University of London, told Metro the ceasefire is more fragile than it is secure.

‘It may hold in the very short term because all sides have reasons to pause, but it is not yet a stable settlement,’ she said.

Why did Israel attack Lebanon, and is it a breach of the ceasefire?

The elephant in the room is the continued Israeli strikes into Lebanon.

Israel has intensified attacks in Lebanon, killing at least 182 people in the highest single-day death toll in the Israel-Hezbollah war, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

‘There seem to be conflicting messages over whether Lebanon is covered, which is exactly the kind of ambiguity that can unravel a deal fast. There is also a growing divergence between U.S. and Israeli objectives,’ Dr Shahandeh said.

Washington has declared the ceasefire as a ‘victory’, Dr Shahandeh said, but Israel’s current posture points towards a continued military campaign, rather than a diplomatic resolution.

‘There is a real fear that this is not peace so much as a pause, as it is a chance for Washington and its allies to regroup and, if talks fail, strike harder. That may not be the stated intention, but it is one plausible reading of a ceasefire whose terms remain contested and whose basic points of agreement still seem very far apart,’ she said.

‘Already, it does not look as though all sides are fully adhering to it.’

What happens if the ceasefire conditions are broken?

If the ceasefire is broken, Trump would have a few options – but would likely begin with escalation in strikes and potentially putting US troops on the ground in Iran.

‘Trump has said U.S. military ships and aircraft will remain around Iran and that if Tehran does not comply, the “shootin’ starts” again,’ Dr Shahandeh explained.

‘The most likely U.S. response would be renewed strikes, more coercive pressure over Hormuz, and an attempt to force Iran into harsher terms from a position of overwhelming military superiority. But that would deepen the bind he is already in: walking away risks looking weak, while escalating further risks a more unpopular and expensive war.’

Dr Bamo Nouri, senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of West London, told Metro: ‘If it breaks, Trump has already signalled a return to coercive escalation – maintaining US forces in the region, increasing military pressure, and potentially authorising further strikes to restore deterrence.

Iran’s options if the ceasefire is broken are different. Despite sustaining heavy damage, the country has retained power over the Strait of Hormuz and could easily resume missile and drone attacks and pressure on global shipping.

As for Israel, the option is to continue its air strikes in both Iran and Lebanon if it believes the ceasefire to be broken.

‘Israel, for its part, is likely to be the least patient actor, having already signalled readiness to resume high-intensity operations if it judges the ceasefire to be constraining its strategic objectives,’ Dr Nouri said.

Despite agreeing to suspend its bombing campaign in Iran, the US and Israel differ on their positions as to whether the ceasefire stretches to Lebanon, where Israel argues it is striking Iranian-backed Hezbollah groups.

‘Israel agreed to suspend its bombing campaign on Iran, but that U.S. and Israeli positions differ sharply from Iran’s (and Pakistan who brokered the deal) over whether Lebanon is part of the ceasefire framework.

‘That means Israel could become the most immediate trigger for collapse if it continues treating other theatres as separate while Iran treats them as linked,’ Dr Shahandeh said.

What happens next?

It’s hard to say. Iran, Israel and the United States are not operating from a shared understanding of what’s been agreed in the ceasefire agreement.

Dr Nouri explained: ‘The US frames it around limiting Iran’s nuclear activity and securing maritime stability in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran insists on its enrichment rights and links the deal to broader regional conditions, including Israeli operations in Lebanon.’

In order for the ceasefire to hold, the three countries must quickly clarify terms to stop any misunderstandings.

‘Without a quickly accepted framework, this ceasefire becomes a short-lived bargaining interval rather than a stable resolution, with all sides already preparing for renewed escalation,’ Dr Nouri said.

Dr Shahandeh believes three things need to happen for the ceasefire to hold.

‘The parties need clear written terms, not just public declarations: what is covered geographically, what counts as a violation, and who verifies compliance,’ she said.

‘Second, there has to be a practical de-escalation mechanism around Hormuz, because Reuters reports there is still little sign that the Strait is operating normally, and Iran is still asserting control there.

‘Third, the ceasefire must become a political process, not just a pause in bombing. The ceasefire can hold, but only as a bridge to a more detailed agreement. If it remains vague, it is unlikely to last.’

President Donald Trump, hours away from the deadline he put on Iran to reach a deal, took a few moments on Tuesday to hail Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in an impromptu call-in to a campaign rally address by Vice President JD Vance.

“Mr. President, you are on with about 5,000 Hungarian patriots, and I think they love you even more than they love Viktor Orban,” Vance told the president in a call that blared over the speakers at the event in Hungary.

Speaking by phone to what attendees described as roughly 5,000 supporters before Sunday’s election, Trump praised Orban as “a fantastic man” who has “done a fantastic job” leading his country.

“I love Hungary and I love that Viktor, I’ll tell you,” Trump said. “He’s a fantastic man. We’ve had a tremendous relationship, and he does a job. Remember this? He didn’t allow people to storm your country and invade your country like other people have and ruin their countries.”

TRUMP SAYS HUNGARY’S BORDER STANCE KEEPS CRIME DOWN, SAYS EUROPE ‘FLOODING’ WITH MIGRANTS

Vice President JD Vance laughs at the sound of President Donald Trump calling in as he was delivering remarks at a Day of Friendship event with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at MTK Sportpark in Budapest, Hungary, on April 7, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

“Frankly, he’s kept your country good. He’s kept Hungarian people in your country. And he’s done a fantastic job,” Trump added.

Trump credited Orban’s hard-line immigration stance with keeping Hungary “strong” and said Hungarians were “my kind of people.”

HUNGARIAN OFFICIAL TOUTS ‘GOLDEN AGE’ OF US RELATIONSHIP, CREDITS TRUMP WITH BOOSTING NATO AND INVESTMENT

Trump said he and the U.S. are with Orban “all the way.”

After Trump’s remarks, Vance told the crowd they had to get Orban reelected as Hungary’s prime minister.

Vance’s visit to Budapest, just days before a vote that independent polls suggest Orban might lose, underscores how crucial Trump’s “MAGA” movement deems the veteran Hungarian nationalist’s reelection.

TRUMP ALLY ORBAN ISSUES SCATHING LETTER DEMANDING ZELENSKYY CHANGE UKRAINE’S ‘ANTI-HUNGARIAN POLICY’

“It’s a real honor to talk to you: You’re really incredible people with great enthusiasm and brilliance,” Trump told the crowd to conclude brief remarks.

“Brilliant people, and I really love it. You have a man that kept your country strong and he kept your country good, and you don’t have problems with all of the problems that so many other countries have because they let their countries be invaded,” Trump added. “And you don’t have that problem because of Viktor Orban. That’s the only reason you don’t have that problem. There was a lot of pressure on him to do it, and those other countries made big mistakes. So I wish you a lot of luck and I love you all.”

Vice President JD Vance holds a joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/AP)

Earlier, Vance lashed out at what he called “disgraceful” interference from the European Union in the Hungarian election.

RUBIO SEALS CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH HUNGARY

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) greets Prime Minister of Hungary Victor Orban as he arrives at the White House on November 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)

“What has happened in this country, what has happened in the midst of this election campaign, is one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I’ve ever seen or ever even read about,” Vance told a news conference. “The bureaucrats in Brussels have tried to destroy the economy of Hungary. They have tried to make Hungary less energy-independent. They have tried to drive up costs for Hungarian consumers, and they’ve done it all because they hate this guy [Orban].”

TRUMP HAILS VANCE AND RUBIO AS ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ DUO: HAMMER AND VELVET GLOVE

The visit broke with the norms of prior U.S. presidential administrations of not openly campaigning in foreign elections, especially for a government that has maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Orban has maintained cordial ties with Moscow despite the Ukraine war, and says Russian energy is essential for Hungary.

Trump has already personally endorsed Orban, 62, as “a truly strong and powerful leader” and Vance lavished praise on the Hungarian prime minister’s policies on everything from energy to the war in Ukraine.

“I’m here because of the moral cooperation between our two countries, because what the United States and Hungary together represent under Viktor’s leadership and under President Trump’s leadership is the defense of Western civilization,” Vance said.

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Orban, fighting the toughest reelection bid of his career after 16 years in power, hailed what he called “a golden age” in relations between Hungary and the U.S. under Trump’s leadership.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Hegseth – We know what Russia and China are doing for Iran

The US ‘knows exactly’ what China and Russia are doing in regards to the Iran war, Pete Hegseth has claimed today.

Hegseth told a Pentagon briefing that Washington will ‘address’ and even ‘confront’ both Moscow and Beijing ‘where necessary’.

It comes amid claims both nations are supporting Tehran in its war against the US and Israel.

Asked about reports of Russia and China aiding Iran, Hegseth said: ‘As far as Russia and China, we know exactly what they’re doing, what they are or are not doing.

‘We don’t have to air publicly what all of that is, but where necessary, we’re addressing it, we’re mitigating it or we’re confronting it head on.’

Russia has been accused of passing Iran the locations of American assets to attack and sharing advanced drone tactics.

While China is said to be providing military co-operation, according to Iranian foreign minster Abbas Araghchi.

Breaking:FBI says man who drove into Detroit-area synagogue planned Hezbollah-inspired terror attack

Houthis confirm attack on Israel and say strikes to continue until ‘aggression’ ends

The UK government is to reopen a carbon dioxide plant with a Government grant of up to £100million amid fears of shortages caused by the war in Iran.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle signed off the grant to reopen the Ensus plant on Teesside, in the North East of England, according to the Financial Times.

It is understood the grant will pay to get the plant up and running again for an initial three-month period.

The plant was mothballed last year after a trade deal with the US cut tariffs on bioethanol, its main product.

It will be reopened due to its ability to produce CO2 as a by-product. The gas is vital for several sectors, including drinks and the nuclear industry, but supply has been disrupted thanks to soaring energy costs on other sources such as fertiliser factories.

The grant for the Ensus plant is the first major intervention by the UK Government aimed at tackling possible shortages caused by the Iran conflict.

But fears range much wider than CO2, with former BP executive Nick Butler telling Times Radio the UK could face oil and gas shortages in two to three weeks.

He said: ‘There will be shortages and I think the Government now should be seriously planning how they’re going to handle that and part of that is maximising supply.’

On Tuesday, Shell chief executive Wael Sawan issued a similar warning at an industry conference.

Ministers continue to insist the supply of petrol remains reliable.

Energy minister Michael Shanks told MPs on Wednesday the Government was ‘absolutely not’ planning for blackouts or petrol rationing, insisting the UK had a ‘strong and diverse range of supplies’.

The key question remains how long Iran’s effective blockade of the vital Strait of Hormuz will last.

On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will urge Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as she travels to the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in France.

She will make clear that the UK will help ensure safe passage for ships through the strait and provide an additional £2million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon.

Ms Cooper is expected to hold talks with counterparts, including US secretary of state Marco Rubio, France’s Jean-Noel Barrot, and Germany’s Johann Wadephul.

The strait remained closed on Wednesday evening, despite Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi claiming it was open to ‘non-hostile’ shipping.

The conflict continued with Washington saying it would hit Iran ‘harder’ if Tehran refused to accept it had been ‘defeated militarily’.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt insisted ‘productive’ talks were continuing between Washington and Tehran.

But Mr Araghchi said in a message on his Telegram channel, translated from Farsi, that there had been ‘no negotiations or discussions with the American side’ and suggested the US had effectively admitted defeat.

He said: ‘Didn’t they talk about “unconditional surrender” before? What happened now that they are talking about negotiations and calling for them?

‘I will explain that there are no negotiations, but the fact that they are mobilising their highest officials to negotiate with the Islamic Republic indicates their acceptance of defeat.’

Donald Trump has brutally slapped down Benjamin Netanyahu’s push for the US to incite a bloody street revolution to topple the Iranian regime. 

‘Why the hell should we tell people to take to the streets when they’ll just get mowed down,’ Trump told Netanyahu during a call last week.

The call came just hours after Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani was killed in an Israeli strike last Tuesday. Netanyahu told Trump the regime was in disarray and that there was a window for a popular uprising, a US official and Israeli source told Axios.

But Trump feared a massacre, mindful that thousands of Iranians had been slaughtered by paramilitary forces during anti-regime protests before the war.

Netanyahu and Trump agreed to wait and see if the Iranians would come out during the annual festival of fire without encouragement, a source said.

But Netanyahu proceeded anyway, stating on TV: ‘Our aircraft are striking terrorist operatives … This is meant to allow the brave Iranian people to celebrate the festival of fire. So go out and celebrate … we are watching from above.’

The rupture lays bare a widening gap between the two leaders, with Washington quietly distancing itself from Jerusalem on regime change despite Trump urging a popular uprising when the war began. 

Netanyahu has since secretly convened his generals and pushed for a 48-hour blitz on Iran’s top targets, even as Trump moves to nail down a swift peace deal. 

Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they shake hands during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 29

Israel is engaging in a wide range of military strikes across the Middle East, including in Gaza and Lebanon, where Iran’s proxies are active against Netanyahu’s forces (pictured: a fireball erupts following an Israeli strike near a tent encampment sheltering people displaced by war in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on March 25)

Netanyahu convened Israeli commanders in a bunker deep beneath Tel Aviv on Tuesday after reviewing Trump’s 15-point peace plan. 

The Israeli prime minister and his top military advisers were alarmed the US plan did not go far enough to curb Tehran’s military capabilities.

Netanyahu’s Thursday deadline reflects deep concern within the Israeli government that Trump could reach a deal with Tehran at any moment, sources say.

Israeli officials present at Netanyahu’s underground meeting described the atmosphere as ‘tense.’ 

Iran rejected the proposal on Wednesday, but Trump remains bullish on a deal and a ceasefire could come as early as next Saturday, Israeli media has reported. 

Netanyahu’s inner circle is intent on reaching three key war goals: eliminating Iran’s ballistic-missile stockpile, ensuring Tehran cannot develop a nuclear warhead, and fostering an environment within Iran for civilians to overthrow the Islamic regime.

‘If you do not obtain the three objectives, you will not be able to end the war,’ said Boaz Bismuth, a member of Netanyahu’s party. 

Trump has not touched on regime change in his messaging since the early days of the war, and the White House does not list it among in its four official objectives: destroy Iran’s missiles, Navy, armed proxies, and nuclear capabilities.

Benjamin Netanyahu from his bunker in Tel Aviv gave Israeli commanders a 48-hour deadline to destroy Iran’s weapons industry

Netanyahu’s Thursday deadline reflects deep concern within the Israeli government that Trump could reach a deal with Tehran at any moment

Pentagon chiefs last night ordered around 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East to join some 4,500 Marines already en route, as Trump’s peace push shows signs of weakening. 

The President is prepared to pull the trigger on a full-scale invasion if Tehran continues to rebuff his diplomatic overtures, according to members of his inner circle.

‘Trump has a hand open for a deal, and the other is a fist, waiting to punch you in the f***ing face,’ a Trump aide told Axios.

The 15-point plan, modeled on Trump’s Gaza deal, would require Iran to dismantle all nuclear and long-range missile capabilities, open the Strait of Hormuz, and abandon proxy terror groups.

But Iranian state TV said Wednesday the regime had rejected the proposal outright, with Tehran demanding the closure of all US bases in the Gulf, reparations, and an end to Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Tehran is also seeking to bring the strait – a chokepoint for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil – under its control, allowing it to charge transit fees on passing vessels, much like Egypt does with the Suez Canal.

A Trump official described Iran’s demands as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘unrealistic’, warning that a deal is now harder to reach than before the war began as the President readies a potential ground invasion force. 

US and Iranian diplomats have not spoken through direct contact and instead communicate via Middle Eastern intermediaries from Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan.

Netanyahu’s inner circle is intent on reaching three key war goals: eliminating Iran’s ballistic-missile stockpile, ensuring Tehran cannot develop a nuclear warhead, and fostering an environment within Iran for civilians to overthrow the Islamic regime

Smoke and flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran 

Speaker of the Iranian parliament Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf in Tehran, Iran, February 1

The Trump administration appears to have created distance with their regime change goal after strikes against senior leadership have failed to overthrow the government

Israeli strikes in Gaza earlier on Wednesday 

Saudi Arabia has made clear that ceding control of the Strait of Hormuz is a non-starter, with Riyadh urging Trump to stay in the fight. 

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has repeatedly urged Trump to finish the Islamic regime in calls over the last week, including the use of ground forces to seize Iran’s energy sites.

Iran remains wary of Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, accusing the pair of ‘backstabbing’ Tehran in negotiations ahead of the US and Israel’s strikes on February 28. 

Iranian officials are pushing for Vice President JD Vance to lead the US negotiating team, believing he is sympathetic after privately expressing doubts about Operation Epic Fury.

By JAMIE BULLEN, LIVE COVERAGE EDITOR

Updated: 06:55 EDT, 25 March 2026

Iran is claiming it has attacked one of the world’s largest warships, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, by firing shore-to-sea cruise missiles at the vessel.

The Tasnim News Agency has shared footage of the Lincoln carrier coming under attack as Iranian Navy chief Shahram Irani said the warship is under constant surveillance.

Speaking in the White House yesterday, Donald Trump said the US thwarted a large-scale missile attack targeting the Lincoln which has been deployed to the Arabian Sea to support Operation Epic Fury.

‘They shot 100 missiles at one of our aircraft carriers, one of the biggest ships in the world, actually. And of 101 missiles shot, every single one of them was knocked down,’ Trump said.

Meanwhile Iran has also targeted American military bases in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain in a missile salvo after Trump sent Tehran a 15-point peace plan to end the war.

It comes despite claims by the Trump administration that Iran ‘badly wants a deal’ to stop the violence and that Tehran had abandoned its nuclear ambitions.

However, Iranian military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari mocked Trump over his latest remarks, suggesting the US is ‘ negotiating with yourselves’.

Follow the latest updates from the US-Israel war with Iran 

Iran targets US bases in latest Gulf attacks

Smoke rises from Kuwait international airport after a drone strike

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had fired a fresh wave of missiles at Israel, as well as US bases hosting American troops in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.

Tehran has kept up its retaliatory attacks on Israel and Gulf nations it accuses of serving as launchpads for US strikes.

Drones hit a fuel tank and sparked a fire at Kuwait International Airport, the Gulf state’s civil aviation authority said, causing ‘limited’ damage.

In Bahrain, the interior ministry said air raid sirens were activated, while Jordan’s public security directorate reported shrapnel fell near the capital Amman, resulting in no casualties or damage.

Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted at least four drones in the kingdom’s east.

Iran fires missiles at USS Abraham Lincoln

Iran has launched missiles towards US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

The head of Iran’s Navy has said the US warship is under constant monitoring and will be targeted as soon as it comes within range of Iranian missiles.

Speaking in the White House yesterday, Donald Trump said the US thwarted a large-scale missile attack targeting the Lincoln which has been deployed to the Arabian Sea to support Operation Epic Fury.

‘They shot 100 missiles at one of our aircraft carriers, one of the biggest ships in the world, actually. And of 101 missiles shot, every single one of them was knocked down,’ Trump said.

Gulf nations tell UN they face existential threat from Iran

Gulf states have told the UN Human Rights Council they face an existential threat from Iran as they condemned Iranian attacks on their infrastructure.

The nearly month-long U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has sparked large-scale Iranian retaliation in the form of drone and missile strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure in Gulf countries, killing civilians and driving up oil prices.

‘We are seeing an existential threat to international and regional security. This aggressive approach is undermining international law and sovereignty,’ Kuwait’s ambassador Naser Abdullah H. M. Alhayen told the Geneva-based council.

Other Gulf states also denounced Iran’s actions which they said were designed to spread terror.

Countries at the 47-member council will vote on a motion condemning Iran’s strikes, asking Iran for reparation and asking the UN rights chief to monitor the situation.

Iran defended its actions, saying more than 1,500 civilians had been killed in the US-Israeli strikes so far.

‘We fight on behalf of all of you against an enemy that, if not restrained today, will be beyond containment tomorrow,’ said Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, in reference to Israel.

Pakistan delivers US peace proposal to Iran – report

Pakistan has delivered a US proposal to Iran, Reuters is reporting.

A senior Iranian source told the outlet the plan is now with Tehran but the venue of any talks between the US and Iran to end the war has yet to be decided.

The source, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, did not disclose details of the proposal and whether it was Donald Trump’s 15-point plan to end the war.

The source also said Turkey was helping to find ways to end the way and ‘either Turkey or Pakistan are under consideration as the venue for such talks’.

Watch: Israeli civilians flee to shelter as Iranian missile strikes city

This is the moment Israeli civilians ran for shelters today as Iran launched its latest strikes on Tel Aviv.

People living in Hadera, a city in Israel’s Haifa district, ran for cover as a missile struck an open area. Magen David Adom says no injuries have been reported.

It has been reported Iran may have been attempting to strike the Orot Rabin power plant, Israel’s largest power station.

The Israel Electric Corporation has said no damage was caused to its infrastructure following the attack.

‘What the generals have broke, the soldiers can’t fix’: Iran warning over US troops plan

Iran’s parliamentary speaker has warned Tehran is ‘closely monitoring’ any potential deployment of US troops.

It comes amid claims Donald Trump is considering sending paratroopers to Iran.

In a post written in English on X Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said: ‘We are closely monitoring all US movements in the region, especially troop deployments.

‘What the generals have broke, the soldiers can’t fix; instead, they will fall victim to Netanyahu’s delusions. Do not test our resolve to defend our land.’

Thousands of US Marines are said to be arriving in the Middle East as senior military officials consider deploying an Army paratrooper division to the region.

Trump says Pete Hegseth is ‘disappointed’ by attempts to end Iran war

by Eliana Silver, Senior Foreign News Reporter

Donald Trump has said Pete Hegseth is ‘disappointed’ about negotiations with Iran a day after he suggested the conflict was the Secretary of War’s idea.

‘You know the only two people who were quite disappointed, I don’t want to say this but I have to – Pete and General “Raizin” Caine,’ Trump said, referencing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday at the Oval Office, the US leader added: ‘Pete didn’t want [the war] to be settled.’

Meanwhile, the Secretary of War doubled down on his insistence that strikes must continue, saying that the United States ‘negotiates with bombs’.

Speaking at the same conference, Hegseth claimed that it was the first time in history that a modern military had been so destroyed.

Thai oil tanker passes Strait of Hormuz after attack on bulk carrier

A Thai oil tanker has safely passed the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on one of the country’s vessels less than two weeks ago.

The Bangchak Corporation-owned tanker crossed the strategic waterway on Monday after successful talks between Thai foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and Iran’s ambassador to Thailand.

‘I requested that if Thai ships need to pass through the strait, could they assist in ensuring safe passage?’ Sihasak told reporters late on Tuesday.

‘They responded that they would take care of it and asked us to provide the names of the vessels that would be transiting.’

It comes after the Thai-flagged bulk carrier was attacked from an ‘unknown projectile’ on March 11. The ship caught fire around 11 nautical miles north of Oman.

Since the conflict began on February 28, Thailand has faced soaring transportation costs and lengthening queues at its gas stations, despite assurances from the government that supplies remain sufficient.

Diplomats hoping for US-Iran meeting by tomorrow

Diplomats from Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan are pushing for a meeting between the US and Iran by tomorrow but both sides remain far apart, the Wall Street Journal is reporting.

The three nations are leading mediation efforts to help end the war and Pakistan has offered to host the talks, an overture amplified by Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform.

But Iran’s military has claimed the US is ‘negotiating with yourselves’ and said Trump was unable to escape the mess of his own making.

According to the WSJ, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are growing alarmed by Trump’s eagerness to strike a deal and are urging him to carry on the war until Iran poses no military threat.

Iranian embassy claims Trump ‘isn’t calling the shots’

Another Iranian embassy has criticised Donald Trump as diplomats around the world continue to mock the President.

The latest barb came courtesy from the Iranian embassy in Finland as diplomats reacted to an appearance of former US national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show.

Sullivan claims the Iranians put forward a proposal on its nuclear ambitions a few days before the launch of airstrikes last month but the US negotiators ‘simply didn’t understand what they were being offered, ignored it, and decided to go ahead and strike.’

Iran in Finland wrote on X: ‘The US team most likely understood the offer. The problem wasn’t comprehension-it was that Washington isn’t, and still isn’t, calling the shots.

‘The Israeli regime-through Epstain and similar projects-controls Washington and was never going to allow a diplomatic off-ramp. It remains the number one enemy of peace and stability in the region and beyond, driving endless wars.’

China says it supports efforts to de-escalate tensions

China has said it supports all attempts to de-escalate the tensions in the Middle East and start peace talks.

‘A ceasefire and an end to hostilities are the top priority, and dialogue and negotiations are the way forward,’ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in Beijing.

Lin said China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that all parties should ‘seize every opportunity and window for peace’ so peace talks can start as soon as possible.

‘We support all efforts conducive to de-escalating the situation and resuming dialogue’, he added when asked about Pakistan as an intermediary between the US and Iran.

Iranian diplomat stresses no talks have taken place between US and Iran

Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan has stressed there have been no talks between Washington or Tehran, after Donald Trump signalled progress in diplomatic efforts to end the war.

‘We have also heard such details through the media, but according to my information – and contrary to Trump’s claims – so far no negotiations, direct or indirect, have taken place between the two countries,’ said ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam.

He added it was ‘natural that friendly countries are always engaged in consultations with both sides to end this illegitimate aggression’.

Yesterday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on ‘the grave situation in the Gulf region’, and promised that Pakistan was committed to playing ‘a constructive role in advancing peace’.

Iran names ex-Guards commander to succeed Ali Larijani as security chief