US President Donald Trump has announced a five-day suspension of all planned military strikes on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure. He made the announcement on his social media platform Truth Social, just hours before the deadline of a previous ultimatum to Iran expired. Trump said the decision followed two days of significant discussions between the United States and Iran aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East, describing the talks as positive and productive.

According to the report, Trump instructed the Defense Department to temporarily halt the attacks, noting that future actions would depend on the success of ongoing negotiations. The move comes after heightened tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil and LNG supply passes. Following a US strike on Iran on February 28, the strait was partially closed, causing a sharp rise in global oil prices.

Trump’s administration has been working to restore normal maritime traffic in the area. Earlier, he had given Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to reopen the strait or face strikes on its power facilities, prompting Tehran to threaten countermeasures if attacked.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has denounced the United States’ threat to destroy Iran’s power plants as a sign of Washington’s reckless attitude. He stated that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all nations except those attacking Iran. His remarks came after the US president warned that if Iran did not fully reopen the waterway within 48 hours, American forces would strike and annihilate Iranian power facilities, starting with the largest one.

In response, Tehran warned that any attack on its power infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes on energy installations in Gulf countries linked to the United States. The speaker of Iran’s parliament also cautioned that assaults by the US or Israel on Iranian power plants would bring “irreparable destruction” to critical infrastructure across the Gulf region.

The escalating exchange highlights rising tensions over navigation rights in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for global energy shipments, with both sides issuing severe warnings of potential military action.

Iran has warned that it will deploy naval mines across the Persian Gulf if the United States or Israel launches any attack on its coastal areas or islands. The Iranian Defense Council issued the threat on Monday, March 23, 2026, declaring that it would not tolerate any form of aggression against its territory.

In a statement, the council said that peaceful nations or those not involved in the conflict could only pass through the Strait of Hormuz by coordinating with Iran. It added that any hostile attempt against Iranian coasts or islands would lead to the mining of all entry and communication routes in the Persian Gulf, effectively blocking the region. The council emphasized that the responsibility for such consequences would rest on the countries issuing threats.

The warning came as the deadline approached for a 48-hour ultimatum issued by US President Donald Trump, who had demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants.

A deadline set by former U.S. President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without threats is set to expire at midnight local time on Monday. The ultimatum, announced 48 hours earlier, warned that if Iran failed to ensure free passage for ships, the United States would destroy Iran’s power plants. The situation has heightened fears of escalating conflict in the Middle East as the deadline approaches.

In response, Tehran warned that any U.S. or Israeli attack on its power facilities would trigger retaliatory strikes on energy infrastructure in Gulf countries allied with Washington. Iran’s parliament speaker cautioned that such retaliation would cause irreversible destruction to critical installations in the region.

The standoff has drawn international concern, with observers noting that the expiration of the deadline could further destabilize the Gulf and intensify regional hostilities if neither side steps back from its threats.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari issued a new statement mocking former U.S. President Donald Trump as the American deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz approached. In an English-language video clip, Zolfaghari said, “Trump, you’re fired,” referencing the U.S. warning that Iran’s blockade of the strait could trigger attacks on its energy grid. Iran has responded with threats of severe retaliation.

Separately, Majid Farshi, director general of crisis management in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, reported two deadly attacks in the city of Tabriz. According to Fars News Agency, four people were killed and six injured in an assault on a residential unit in the Marzdaran area, while two others died in a park in Rabe Rashidi. These claims could not be independently verified, and there were no immediate comments from U.S. or Israeli officials.

Earlier, reports indicated one person was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on a radio station in Bandar Abbas, which operated a 100-kilowatt AM transmitter owned by Iran’s national broadcaster IRIB.

Multiple explosions were reported across Iran, including in the capital Tehran, on March 23, 2026. Loud blasts were heard in the central, eastern, and western parts of the city as air defense systems were activated. According to Al Jazeera, several other Iranian cities also experienced explosions amid ongoing airstrikes by the United States and Israel. The attacks followed Iran’s earlier strikes on Israeli installations, which had caused explosions in several Israeli areas.

Reports indicated that a radio station in Bandar Abbas was hit, killing one person, while residential areas in Khorramabad and Urmia suffered attacks that left several civilians dead. At least 1,500 people have been confirmed killed across Iran, with expectations that the toll will rise as the assaults continue. Explosions were also heard in Isfahan, Karaj, and Ahvaz, where a hospital was reportedly struck.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society stated that more than 80,000 civilian structures, including hospitals, schools, and its own offices, have been damaged or destroyed in the ongoing attacks.

At least one person was killed in an attack on a state broadcasting center in southern Iran, according to the country’s official television channel on Monday, March 23, 2026. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) stated that the assault targeted a 100-kilowatt AM transmitter at the Persian Gulf Radio and Television Center.

Citing AFP, the IRIB described the attackers as an “American-Zionist terrorist force.” The British newspaper The Guardian reported that the strike violated international law and resulted in the death of a security guard and injuries to another staff member at the facility.

The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions, with recent reports of missile attacks and international appeals to halt hostilities involving Iran. However, no further details about the perpetrators or the broader context of the attack were provided in the official statements.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the country will not be influenced by pressure or threats from the United States and Israel regarding the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on social media platform X, he asserted that the strait is not closed and that any uncertainty in maritime traffic is not caused by Iran.

Araghchi added that ships are hesitant because insurance companies fear the war initiated by others, not Iran. He emphasized that no Iranian or insurance company will be affected by further threats. Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry had issued a statement directly blaming the United States and Israel for escalating tensions and disruptions in the strategic waterway.

The remarks underline Tehran’s firm stance on maintaining control and resisting external pressure over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy transport.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has threatened to target financial institutions investing in US Treasury bonds. His warning came after US President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions between the two countries. Ghalibaf posted on social media that institutions financing the US military budget are legitimate targets and claimed that US Treasury bonds are stained with Iranian blood.

He further stated that Iran is monitoring the activities of such investors and described his message as a final warning. Earlier, Ghalibaf had cautioned that if the United States attacked Iran’s power plants, Tehran would retaliate by striking regional infrastructure and energy facilities.

The threats follow Trump’s warning that the US could strike Iranian power plants if Tehran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a series of strong responses from Iranian officials.

Iran has warned that it will deliver a proportional response to any attack targeting its critical infrastructure. The warning came from Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to strike key Iranian facilities, according to Al Jazeera. Gharibabadi stated that threats against power plants and other vital installations amount to targeting civilian sites, which violates international laws of war.

He further said that Iran would exercise its inherent right to self-defense, citing the United Nations Security Council’s failure to prevent aggression and uphold international law. Gharibabadi emphasized that any escalation would be the responsibility of those initiating attacks. The statement was reported by Iran’s state news agency Mehr.

The firm message from Tehran follows Trump’s remarks suggesting possible strikes on Iranian power infrastructure, signaling heightened tensions between the two nations over potential military actions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that any threats against Iran will be confronted directly on the battlefield. His remarks were directed at U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently warned of possible attacks on Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not fully reopened. Pezeshkian made his response in a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Pezeshkian stated that attempts to spread fear and intimidation against Iran were only strengthening national unity. Addressing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, he clarified that the waterway remains open to all except those who violate Iran’s territorial integrity.

The exchange underscores rising tensions between Tehran and Washington over control and access to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy shipments.

Iran’s health minister has reported that 210 children have been killed so far in the country’s ongoing war, according to a report by the state broadcaster IRIB. The minister also stated that 1,510 children have been injured as a result of the conflict.

He further noted that the war has caused extensive damage to Iran’s health infrastructure. Continuous attacks have so far damaged 300 health, medical, and emergency service centers across the country.

The report highlights the severe humanitarian toll of the conflict, particularly on children and essential health services, as the fighting continues to strain Iran’s medical system.

The CIA, Mossad, and other intelligence agencies are reportedly searching for Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, whose absence from public view has raised questions during the ongoing four-week war in Iran. Despite expectations that he would deliver a Nowruz address like his late father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba only issued a written statement, deepening speculation about his health, location, and authority.

According to Axios, citing U.S. and Israeli officials, there is no evidence that Mojtaba is currently issuing directives, though they believe he is alive. Reports from The Jerusalem Post suggest that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) may now hold effective control of the country and could be managing Mojtaba’s activities. Mojtaba was declared Supreme Leader on March 9, following his father’s death in an Israeli and U.S. strike on February 28, but has not appeared publicly since.

The mystery surrounding Mojtaba’s condition and the IRGC’s possible dominance has fueled uncertainty about Iran’s leadership structure amid the ongoing conflict.

More than 81,000 civilian structures have been damaged across Iran following joint attacks by the United States and Israel, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. The organization reported on Sunday that medical centers, schools, ambulances, and relief workers were among the targets. It described the attacks as a clear violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.

The Geneva Conventions are international treaties that set rules for warfare and the protection of civilians, which all countries are expected to follow. However, the report noted that these principles have been disregarded in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.

The scale of the reported damage underscores the severe humanitarian impact of the conflict, with civilian infrastructure and essential services heavily affected across multiple regions of Iran.

Iran has warned that it will completely close the Strait of Hormuz if its nuclear power plants are attacked. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued the warning on Sunday, following threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. The IRGC stated that the strait would remain closed until damaged facilities are rebuilt and added that any attack on Iranian power plants would trigger extensive strikes on Israel’s energy and ICT infrastructure, as well as U.S.-owned companies in the region.

The statement further noted that power plants in countries hosting U.S. military bases would be considered legitimate targets. Since a joint U.S.-Israel strike on February 28, Iran has already restricted passage through the strait, allowing no ships or tankers to cross without its permission. This has caused severe instability in global energy markets, pushing crude oil prices above $100 per barrel. The United States has been taking measures to stabilize the market while repeatedly warning Iran not to obstruct maritime traffic.

Six countries—Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan—have expressed readiness to help secure navigation through the strait but have yet to take concrete action.