Iran’s foreign minister acknowledges receiving messages from US envoy
Iran’s foreign minister has acknowledged receiving direct messages from US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
He told Al Jazeera that the messages didn’t constitute negotiations.
US president Donald Trump has repeatedly described Iran and America as having talks over the war, while Pakistan has been a key intermediary along with Egypt and Turkey during the conflict.“I receive messages from Witkoff directly, as before, and this does not mean that we are in negotiations,” he said.
He added: “We do not have any faith that negotiations with the U.S. will yield any results. The trust level is at zero.”Asked about a possible ground offensive by the U.S., Araghchi said “we are waiting for them.”
“We know very well how to defend ourselves,” Araghchi reportedly told the Qatar-based broadcaster.
“In a ground war, we can do it even better. We are completely ready to confront any sort of ground attack. We hope they do not make such a mistake.”
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 06:10
India hikes jet fuel and commercial LPG prices
The Indian Oil Corporation this morning said it will raise jet fuel and commercial LPG prices in metropolitan cities across the country, including the capital New Delhi, effective from 1 April.
In the capital, the price of a 19kg commercial LPG cylinder has increased by Rs 195 (£1.5) to Rs 2,078.50 (£16.7).
Aviation Turbine Fuel prices have also been revised upward to cost Rs207,341 (£1,672) per kilolitre — a 114.5 per cent hike from Rs 96,638 (£779.2) last month.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 06:00
First responders rush to the site of Israeli airstrike in Beirut
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 05:51
UAE bars Iranian passport holders from entry and transit
The United Arab Emirates has reportedly barred all Iranian passport holders from entering or transiting through Dubai, including individuals holding valid residency and visas.
According to a Flydubai notice, the restriction took effect on 31 March and applied to all Iranian nationals.
Iranians with a UAE “golden visa” will still be permitted to enter and transit through the country, it said.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 05:40
Israel says missile launched from Yemen
The Israeli military said this morning that it had identified the launch of a missile from Yemen towards Israel, adding that air defence systems were operating to intercept the threat.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis joined the regional war in recent days, launching missiles at Israel in support of Tehran.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 05:30
Trump tells UK ‘go get your own oil’
Donald Trump has lashed out at Britain, saying the US “won’t be there to help you any more, just like you weren’t there for us” in an extraordinary rant against his allies over the Iran war.
The president told countries that did not take part in strikes against Iran to “get your own oil”, saying they should attempt to reopen the Strait of Hormuz themselves now that the US had “done the hard part”.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 05:22
Rubio says US can see ‘finish line’ on Iran war
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Washington could see the “finish line” in the Iran war, which is now in its fifth week, and the US will have to reexamine ties with Nato after the conflict.
“We can see the finish line. It’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, but it is coming,” Rubio told Fox News.
The war began on 28 February when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Tehran responded by launching its own attacks on Israel and Gulf states with US bases.
Joint US-Israeli strikes in Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions. The war has also raised oil prices and shaken global markets.
Rubio said there were messages being exchanged between Iran and the US and there is the potential to have a “direct meeting at some point” between the two sides.
“There are messages being exchanged, there are talks going on. There is the potential for direct meeting at some point,” Rubio said.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 05:05
Bahrain says fire breaks out at company facility
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said today that civil defence teams were extinguishing a fire at a company facility following what authorities described as an Iranian attack, adding that relevant authorities were taking necessary measures at the site.No immediate details were provided on the company, casualties or the extent of damage.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 04:55
CENTCOM denies reports of US attacking sports hall and residential area in Iran
US Central Command has denied reports of the military attacking a sports hall and residential area in Lamerd, Iran, at the start of the war.
“After looking into the reports, U.S. Central Command has confirmed the accusations are false”, US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for CENTCOM, wrote in a statement.
Hawkins continued: “U.S. forces did not launch any strikes at any time into the city of Lamerd or anywhere within 30 miles during the opening day of Operation Epic Fury”.
“U.S. forces do not target civilians, unlike the Iranian regime which has attacked civilian locations in neighboring countries more than 300 times”, the spokesperson added.
Rachel Dobkin1 April 2026 04:45
US energy secretary says Trump’s ‘energy dominance’ is working as US gas prices soar
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Tuesday night local time that Donald Trump’s “energy dominance” is working, as US gas prices soar.
“ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy’s Golden Pass LNG export facility now has LNG flowing with exports coming soon”, the secretary wrote on X. “This represents a huge milestone in efforts to grow access to affordable, reliable and secure American energy”.
Wright’s announcement comes as the national average price of regular gas in the US jumped to more than $4 a gallon.
The growing conflict in the Middle East has increased oil prices as Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil.
Rachel Dobkin1 April 2026 04:30
