Donald Trump warned that he’s not prepared to hunt a deal to finish the battle with Iran, as U.S. ally Israel launched a brand new wave of strikes on Sunday (March 15, 2026) and Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened to search out and kill the Israeli chief.
Editorial | Strategic blunder: On the U.S., the Iran battle
The U.S. President, in an interview with NBC News, mentioned he thought Tehran was eager to return to the desk however that Washington would combat on for higher phrases and would possibly bomb targets on Iran’s oil hub Kharg Island as soon as, once more, “just for fun”.
More than two weeks into the U.S.-Israeli battle towards the Islamic republic, neither facet is moderating its rhetoric regardless of a mounting dying toll and financial injury from hovering oil costs brought on by the efficient closure of the Strait of Hormuz sea lane.
“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Mr. Trump instructed NBC News, warning that U.S. forces would step up strikes on the Iranian coast north of the strait to clear a path for oil shipments to renew.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has — in a written assertion — vowed to maintain Hormuz closed. But Mr. Trump dismissed this and prompt his foe may not even be in management, saying: “I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody has been able to show him.”
Iran mentioned on Saturday (March 14, 2026) that “there is no problem with the new Supreme Leader”, regardless that he has but to seem in public.
The Israeli navy, in the meantime, introduced a wave of strikes towards targets in Western Iran, after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards branded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a prison and vowed that they’d pursue and kill him.
Tehran cafes reopen
The United States has urged its residents to depart Iraq, the place pro-Iranian teams have launched assaults on the U.S. embassy and bases internet hosting western navy items,
Despite the hardline discuss from all sides, the residents of Tehran had been capable of go about their work week in essentially the most regular environment for the reason that begin of the battle on February 28, when U.S.-Israeli strikes killed the earlier Supreme Leader, Mojtaba’s father Ali Khamenei.
Traffic was busier than final week, and a few cafes and eating places had reopened.
One resident whizzed down the road on an electrical hoverboard, and greater than a 3rd of stalls within the Tajrish bazaar, a well-liked buying hub within the north of the capital, had reopened, 5 days earlier than Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
Some customers queued at ATMs to withdraw money. Online operations at Bank Melli, one of many nation’s largest, had been paralysed in latest days.
Further on, passengers had been ready at bus stops, which had been largely abandoned for the reason that starting of the battle.
Mr. Trump has prompt a global naval operation might escort oil tankers by the Strait of Hormuz, lessening stress on the oil worth and securing provides for international locations whose economies are most uncovered to the battle.
“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the U.K., and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area,” Mr. Trump mentioned in a social media submit on Saturday (March 14, 2026).
Asked about this, the U.Okay. Ministry of Defence was non-committal. “As we’ve said previously, we are currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region,” it mentioned.
South Korea mentioned it was “closely monitoring President Trump’s remarks on social media”.
Missile barrage
The coverage chief of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling celebration, Takayuki Kobayashi, mentioned the bar for sending Japanese navy ships to the area beneath current legal guidelines was “extremely high”.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia mentioned individually on Sunday (March 15, 2026) that they had intercepted renewed barrages of projectiles after an AFP journalist heard warning sirens in Manama.
Late Saturday (March 14, 2026), authorities in Dubai additionally mentioned air defences had made additional interceptions after Iran’s navy warned the UAE civilians to keep away from port areas.
U.S. forces struck Iran’s Kharg Island on Friday (March 13, 2026) — from which almost all of Iran’s oil exports stream — however either side confirmed that the strikes solely took out navy defences and left the oil export terminals intact.
More than 1,200 individuals have been killed by U.S. and Israeli strikes, in keeping with Iranian Health Ministry figures that might not be independently verified.
The U.N. refugee company says as much as 3.2 million individuals have been displaced in Iran, most of them fleeing the capital and different cities to hunt security.
The Pentagon says greater than 15,000 targets in Iran have been hit by U.S. and Israeli forces.
U.S. media reported that the Pentagon has dispatched the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and round 2,500 Marines to the area.