Washington: President Donald Trump backed down on targeting Iran’s power network on Monday, saying 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’s statement came after Iran threatened to attack Israel’s power plants and those supplying US bases across the Gulf region if the US targets Iran’s power network.Conversations with Iran will continue throughout the week, Trump said in a social media post.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. (Agencies)Iran’s Parliament Speaker denies there have been negotiations with USMarch 23, 2026 9:52 pmIran’s Parliament Speaker denies there have been any negotiations with the United States. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf wrote on X that “No negotiations have been held with the US, and fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.” His post on Monday came after US President Donald Trump said Iran was eager to make a deal and that US envoys were talking to a “respected” Iranian leaderKremlin says it is monitoring what it calls ‘conflicting signals’ on Iran situationMarch 23, 2026 8:33 pmThe Kremlin said on Monday that it was monitoring what it described as contradictory statements regarding the situation in Iran, but hoped the conflict would be resolved quickly, the state TASS news agency reported. “There have been many different statements today, including some contradictory ones. We continue to monitor the situation closely and hope that it will soon return to a peaceful course,” TASS cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that there had been talks between the United States and Iran over the past day and that the two sides had “major points of agreement”, saying that a deal could be done soon to end the conflict.’Tip of the iceberg’: Iranian state media reveals missile-filled underground facility as tensions riseMarch 23, 2026 4:30 pmA video showcasing an expansive underground military complex filled with advanced weaponry has been released by Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), in an effort to disprove the US claim that Iranian military capabilities have been completely destroyed. The footage from IRIB News depicts “rows of missiles inside an underground facility,” highlighting the scale of the country’s ballistic capabilities. In a clear message to international observers, the strategic site was pointedly “described as “the tip of the iceberg” regarding the nation’s hidden arsenal. In an official statement, the IRGC said the operation was conducted “in honour of martyred commanders” and described it as a response to what it termed continued aggression by Israel and the US.China warns of ‘vicious cycle’ if war escalates in Middle EastMarch 23, 2026 1:27 pmBeijing: China on Monday urged all parties involved in the Middle East conflict affecting the Strait of Hormuz to end military operations to prevent a “vicious cycle” and return to negotiations. “Should hostilities continue to escalate and the situation deteriorate further, the entire region will be plunged into chaos,” the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said when responding to a question about U.S. President Donald Trump pressuring Iran to reopen the key shipping waterway. “The use of force will only lead to a vicious cycle,” he said adding that the war should not have begun in the first place. ReutersOil prices up more than 50 per cent since start of the warMarch 23, 2026 1:06 pmDubai: Oil prices remained stubbornly high in early trading, with the price of Brent crude, the international standard at around USD 112 a barrel, up nearly 55 per cent since Israel and the US started the war on February 28 by attacking Iran. APUS Central Command leader says campaign is ‘ahead or on plan’March 23, 2026 12:24 pmDubai: The top commander of the US military’s Central Command said the US campaign against Iran is “ahead or on plan.” US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper gave his first one-on-one interview of the war to the Farsi-language satellite network Iran International, which aired it early Monday. Cooper said Iran’s continued attacks on Gulf Arab states and the wider Mideast put civilians at risk. He added that the US and Israel were targeting missile and drone manufacturing sites as well. “We’re also going after the manufacturing,” he said. “So it’s not just about the threat today. We’re eliminating the threat of the future, both in terms of the drones, the missiles, as well as the navy.” APUS Central Command’s Cooper says Iran operating in a sign of desperation’March 23, 2026 12:23 pmDubai: The head of the US military’s Central Command says Iran is “operating in a sign of desperation” by targeting civilian sites in the war. In an interview with the Farsi-language satellite network Iran International aired early Monday, US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper said: “They’re operating in a sign of desperation. … In the last couple of weeks, they’ve attacked civilian targets very deliberately, more than 300 times.” Cooper also noted the slowdown in Iranian incoming fire across the Mideast as the war has entered its fourth week. “At the beginning of the conflict, you saw large volumes in the dozens of drones and missiles,” Cooper said. “You no longer see that. It’s all one or two at a time.” APTrump reiterates his peace through strength’ sloganMarch 23, 2026 12:22 pmDubai: US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social website early Monday: “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, TO PUT IT MILDLY!!!” APSensex falls 1,500 points as Iran-Israel war, crude oil prices continue to dent sentimentMarch 23, 2026 10:20 amMumbai: Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty dropped sharply in early trade on Monday as the Middle East conflict entered its fourth week driving crude oil prices higher. A massive bearish trend in global equity markets and relentless foreign fund outflows also made investors jittery. The 30-share BSE Sensex dived 1,555.62 points, or 2 per cent, to 72,977.34 during initial trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty tanked 479.95 points, or 2 per cent, to 22,634.55. From the 30-Sensex firms, Tata Steel, State Bank of India, Bajaj Finance, Bharat Electronics, Titan, and Adani Ports were among the biggest laggards. HCL Tech emerged as the only winner. PTIIndian national injured as debris falls in Abu Dhabi’s Al ShawamekhMarch 23, 2026 9:53 amAbu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Monday that an Indian national suffered minor injuries from falling debris after the UAE’s air defence systems successfully intercepted a ballistic missile targeting the country’s capital. The incident occurred in Abu Dhabi’s Al Shawamekh area, it said. In a post on X, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said, “Relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi have responded to an incident involving debris falling in the Al Shawamekh area following the successful interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems. The incident resulted in a minor injury to an Indian national. The public is reminded to obtain information from official sources only and avoid spreading rumours or unverified information.” ANIIEA consulting with governments on further oil stock releases, says chiefMarch 23, 2026 8:39 amSydney: The International Energy Agency (IEA) 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. ReutersChina, Hong Kong stocks tumble as escalating Iran war rattles financial marketsMarch 23, 2026 8:37 amShanghai: China and Hong Kong stocks fell sharply in early trading on Monday, as the escalating Middle East war roiled global financial markets. Both China’s blue-chip CSI300 Index and the Shanghai Composite Index lost roughly 2% at the open. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index tumbled nearly 3 per cent. ReutersAsia shares slide, yields climb as Gulf war ragesMarch 23, 2026 8:35 amSydney: Share markets slid in Asia on Monday while U.S. bond yields hit eight-month peaks as the United States and Iran traded escalating threats and Israel planned for “weeks” more fighting, sending oil prices on another roller-coaster ride. ReutersDollar rises as escalating Middle East war spurs haven demandMarch 23, 2026 8:33 amTokyo: The dollar rose on Monday as escalating retaliatory threats in the Middle East conflict curbed risk appetite and lifted demand for safe-haven assets. The Australian dollar, a liquid proxy for global sentiment, slid as equities sold off across Asia. Japan’s top currency diplomat said his government is ready to take action to counter foreign-exchange volatility as the yen edged lower. Hopes for an off-ramp to hostilities dimmed over the weekend, with US President Donald Trump threatening to strike Iran’s electricity grid and Tehran vowing to hit back at infrastructure of its neighbours. The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said the crisis is worse than the two oil shocks of the 1970s put together. ReutersEnergy. desalination plants are threatenedMarch 23, 2026 8:01 amArad (Israel): Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz that connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world, while claiming safe passage for vessels from countries other than its enemies. Roughly one-fifth of global oil supply passes through it, but attacks on ships have stopped nearly all tanker traffic. Trump said if Iran didn’t open the strait, the US would destroy its “various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” The US has argued that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard controls much of the country’s infrastructure and uses it to power the war effort. Under international law, power plants that benefit civilians can be targeted only if the military advantage outweighs the suffering it causes them, legal scholars say. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf responded on X that if Iran’s power plants and infrastructure are targeted, then vital infrastructure across the region — including energy and desalination facilities critical for drinking water in Gulf nations — would be considered legitimate targets and “irreversibly destroyed.” Qalibaf later added that “entities that finance the US military budget are legitimate targets.” Attacks on power plants would be “inherently indiscriminate and clearly disproportionate” and a war crime, Iran’s UN ambassador wrote to the Security Council, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. AP