Iran war: Trump claims US has held talks with Iran

US President Donald Trump said that the US has held talks with Iran, claiming the two sides have "major points of agreement." Meanwhile, Iran denied that negotiations were taking place.

DW has more.

Here is a roundup of the war in the Middle East on Monday, March 23, 2026.

You can catch up on Sunday's developments here .

UAE energy boss accuses Iran of 'economic terrorism' in Hormuz Strait
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of the UAE state oil company ADNOC, accused Iran of terrorizing the world by blocking the Strait of Hormuz.

"Weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz is not an act of aggression against one nation," he said in virtual remarks delivered to attendees of the energy industry's annual CERAWeek conference in Houston, Texas.

"It's economic terrorism against every nation.

And no country should be allowed to hold Hormuz hostage." he added.

The sultan blasted Iran's decision to close the strait and the havoc this has caused, for instance, the impact it has had on global oil prices.

US energy chief: Oil prices high, producers should step up
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said surging oil prices should "send a signal to everyone that can produce more" to "please produce more."
He added that the US has implemented what he called "pragmatic solutions," loosening restrictions to allow some sanctioned oil already in transit to reach the market.

Wright said the US could also release more oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve to calm markets during the war with Iran, though he called such a move "highly unlikely" in an interview with CNBC.

He described the current disruptions as "temporary" as higher prices continue to strain consumers .

Top EU diplomat welcomes Trump deadline extension
The European Union's (EU) top diplomat called President Donald Trump's decision to postpone US military attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure "a very welcome development."
Kaya Kallas, in Abuja, Nigeria, for meetings with Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, said infrastructure attacks in the three-week conflict had already caused considerable chaos and cautioned against further escalation.

Trump: US holds 'strong talks' with Iran, deal could be near
US President Donald Trump said the US has held talks with Iran, claiming the two sides have "major points of agreement" and suggesting a potential deal could be imminent.

"We have had very, very strong talks," Trump said.

"​We'll see where they lead."
Trump told reporters that his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had held discussions with Iran's "respected leaders," but said that the talks did not involve Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

He added that a deal could be reached soon if negotiations remain productive, but warned that if they fail, "we'll keep bombing our little hearts out," he told reporters.

Iran has so far denied that such negotiations are taking place.

Markets have responded to Trump's recent comments on Iran, with oil prices falling and stocks rising.

Nigeria steps up gasoline exports across Africa amid Iran war
Nigeria has accelerated gasoline exports across Africa, amid the ongoing energy disruptions triggered by the Iran war.

Data from tanker-tracking firm Kpler showed on Monday that Nigeria's exports of clean petroleum products have more than doubled daily in March.

Clean petroleum products include gasoline, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel.

Dangote Refinery, which is owned by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote, announced late on Sunday that it sold 12 cargoes totalling 456,000 tons of fuel.

Shipments to other African countries have also more than doubled.

They now stand at around 90 thousand barrels per day.

"By supplying neighboring and other economies, the Dangote Refinery is expected to contribute to enhance energy security in west, east and central Africa," the company said.

It added that the recipients included Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana and Togo.

"We have demands even out of Africa, especially for jet fuel," a company spokesperson told the French AFP news agency.

The Middle East conflict has disrupted traditional fuel transfer routes from Europe and the Gulf.

This has created opportunities for suppliers with shorter supply chains.

Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer.

Can Nigeria and Angola shield Africa from oil hikes?

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Iran denies Trump negotiation claim, says 'There are no talks'
After US President Donald Trump publicly stated that "very good and productive" talks with Iran had led to the postponement of threatened US military strikes, Tehran flatly rejected the assertion.

Iran's Mehr news agency quoted the country's Foreign Ministry, which dismissed Trump's statement as an attempt "to reduce energy prices," saying, "There are no talks between Tehran and Washington."
Though Trump is leaning into the idea of negotiations, it remains unclear whether any progress has been made toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Merz 'grateful' as Trump postpones Iran attacks
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed US President Donald Trump 's decision to delay previously threatened strikes on Iranian power plants.

"I am grateful that he said he is postponing them for another five days," Merz said at a press conference in Berlin.

He said he had called Trump on Sunday to express his concerns about the planned attacks.

At the press conference, Merz also appreciated Trump for "opening the possibility for immediate and direct contact with the Iranian leadership."
Trump pauses ultimatum, citing 'very good' Iran talks
US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social Monday morning to announce that he would back off his 48-hour ultimatum — due to expire late Monday — for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face massive attacks on its energy infrastructure.

In an all-caps statement, Trump cited "very good and productive conversations" with Iran as the reason for the pause.

The US leader said he had instructed the military "to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period."
Trump added the caveat that the pause remained contingent upon the success of talks that will be ongoing this week.

Trump offered no information about the talks that he was referring to, nor has Iran acknowledged that any have taken place.

Global economy 'taken hostage' by Iran war — Singapore top diplomat
Singapore 's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the US-Israeli war on Iran , now in its fourth week, risks plunging Asian economies into turmoil.

"Right now the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is, in a sense, an Asian crisis," he told Reuters in an hour-long interview.

He said the conflict has "taken the entire global economy hostage" and could spark a financial crisis.

"I didn't think (the war) was necessary," he said.

"Even now, there are even doubts expressed about the legality of the situation."
He also expressed disappointment at the breakdown of talks between the US and Iran and said he was "surprised by the onset of hostilities."
READ: Markets in Asia and Europe nosedive with no end to conflict in sight
Traders returned from their weekend off in a dour mood amid the reciprocal threats from the US and Iran and with no real sign of deescalation in the region.

Most of the major Asian markets shed more than 3% in a single day's trading and Europe has not started the day in a much more optimistic mood either.

In Germany, the DAX had shed more than 2% of its value by lunchtime.

Traditional safe havens gold and silver were also in freefall again , after their peaks and troughs of recent months and years.

For a more detailed look at the situation on the markets on Monday, you can read our full story here .

Israeli civlian killed by friendly fire
The Israeli military accidentally killed its own resident — an Israeli farmer in a northern kibbutz, a communal farm settlement.

Israel's Northern Command chief, Major General Rafi Milo, said the farmer "was killed by our own forces" during an operation “whose entire purpose was to protect" citizens.

He described the incident as "very severe," acknowledging "several severe issues and operational errors" in the mission.

The civilian was initially believed to have been killed by missiles fired by Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, but preliminary findings indicate he was struck by Israeli artillery supporting troops in southern Lebanon, he said.

A full inquiry has been launched.

Kremlin calls for 'political and diplomatic' end to Iran war
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday said that Russia is calling for a "political and diplomatic" end to hostilities in the Middle East.

The statement came after US President Donald Trump threatened to "obliterate" Iran's energy infrastructure if it did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by late Monday.

"We believe that the situation should have transitioned to a political and diplomatic settlement," Peskov told journalists.

"This is the only thing that can effectively contribute to defusing the catastrophically tense situation that has now developed in the region," Peskov added.

Iran has held the strait closed since the US and Israel launched their war on the Islamic Republic on February 28.

Iran is deploying swarms of drones in its war with the US and Israel.

It also uses them to attack neighboring Gulf states in the Middle East.

How do these weapons systems work and why are they difficult to combat?

Iran will mine 'entire Persian Gulf' if coast and islands attacked
Iran's Defense Council on Monday warned that it would take drastic measures if the US and Israel launch attacks against its southern coast or attempt to occupy Iran's strategically important Kharg Island.

"Any attempt to attack ‌Iran's coasts or islands will cause all ‌access ​routes in the Gulf to be mined with various types of sea mines, including floating mines ​that can be released from the coast," read a council statement.

"In this case," the statement continued, "the ⁠entire ​Gulf will in effect be ​in a situation similar to the Strait of ​Hormuz."
The statement said this would be the case "for a ‌long time" if Tehran is forced to take action and referenced the difficulty had by "100 minesweepers attempting to open the strait [during the Iran-Iraq War] in the 1980s."
According to US news outlet Axios, Trump is considering occupying ​or blockading Kharg Island, Iran's main ​oil export hub, to pressure Tehran to ​reopen ‌the strait.

In its Monday statement, the Defense Council reiterated that vessels from non-belligerent nations were free to pass but must first coordinate with Iranian authorities.

Iran's oil hub on Khargh island hit by US overnight strikes
Trump talks with Starmer, reposts mocking skit
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump spoke late Sunday to discuss tensions in the Middle East, including threats to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a British government press release.

Both leaders agreed that reopening the vital waterway was essential to global markets, but details on how they would proceed have not been made public.

They are expected to speak again soon, the statement said.

The call came just hours after Mr.

Trump amplified a comedic jab at Mr.

Starmer over the weekend, reposting a television skit portraying the British prime minister as anxious about taking Trump's calls.

The clip, from the UK debut of Saturday Night Live , shows a fictionalized Mr.

Starmer panicking at Downing Street before abruptly hanging up once Mr.

Trump answers.

Trump added no comment to the video.