Iran war: US to deploy thousands more soldiers — reports

The US combat forces are expected to come from the 82nd Airborne Division, which is capable of deploying anywhere in the world in under 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Iran said it will fight "until complete victory." DW has more.

Here is a roundup of our coverage of the US-Israeli war with Iran and its wider impact in the Middle East on Tuesday, March 24, 2026:
Macron urges Iran to 'engage in good faith' in deescalation talks
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Iran to engage in "good faith" in negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war, in a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

"I called on Iran ⁠to ​engage in good ​faith in negotiations in order to pave ​the way for ‌deescalation and provide a framework which will meet ​the expectations ⁠of the international community in terms of ⁠Iran's nuclear ​and ballistic program and its activities of regional destabilization,"Macron wrote on X on Tuesday.

The French president also said he stressed in the phone call the importance of ceasing the "unacceptable" Iranian attacks on countries in the region.

He also called on Iran to preserve energy and civilian infrastructure and allow safe navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz .

Iran says 'non‑hostile' ships may transit Strait of Hormuz
Iran says "non-hostile ​vessels" will be allowed to transit ​the Strait ​of ‌Hormuz if they ‌coordinate with ‌Iranian authorities, ​according to a letter cited by several media outlets on Tuesday.

The Financial Times newspaper cited a letter Tehran sent to International Maritime ‌Organization member states.

The Reuters news agency and AFP later reported on the same letter.

The letter said vessels linked to the US, Israel, as well as "other participants in the aggression, do not qualify for innocent or non-hostile passage."
The vital waterway has been effectively shut to ship traffic since the Israel-US war with Iran started in late February.

Before the conflict, about a fifth of the world's oil passed through the chokepoint.

Hundreds of container ships, tankers, and freighters are currently stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to transit the strait due to the threat of Iranian attack.

The letter went on to say that Iran had "taken necessary and proportionare measures to prevent the aggressors and their supporters from exploiting the Strait of Hormuz to advance hostile operations against Iran."
US President Donald Trump has threatened to strike Iran's power plants unless it reopens the strait, but Tehran has shown no sign of allowing a return to pre-war ship traffic.

US calls on allies to help secure Strait of Hormuz
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IAEA calls for 'maximum restraint' after Iran says strike hit Bushehr plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency on Tuesday said it had been ‌informed ⁠by ⁠Iran that a projectile struck ​the premises of the ​Bushehr nuclear power plant.

The IAEA ​wrote on X that ‌Iran ‌said staff members were not injured, the facility was not damaged and conditions at the ⁠plant ​remained normal.

IAEA Director General ​Rafael Mariano ‌Grossi called for ​maximum ⁠restraint to avoid nuclear safety ⁠risks ​during conflict.

Trump says Iran gave him a 'very big present'
US President Donald Trump says talks with Iran to end the war are underway "right now," and that Tehran has offered him an energy-related gift.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were involved in the talks.

He said the US was talking to "the right people" in ⁠Iran ​in order to reach an agreement, adding that Tehran wanted to make a deal "so badly."
Trump claimed Iran "agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon" and that the US had "won" the war.

Trump also said Iran had given him a "very big present, worth a ​tremendous ‌amount of money."
"It wasn't nuclear, it was oil-and gas-related, and it was a very ‌nice thing they did," he added.

"So that meant one thing to me — we’re dealing with the right people."
Trump had previously pushed back a deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz after what he called "productive talks" with Tehran.

But Iran denied any negotiations were taking place and accused him of trying to manipulate the financial and oil markets.

Pentagon to order thousands more soldiers to Middle East: reports
The US Defense Department is expected to send some 3,000 more soldiers to the Middle East to support operations in Iran , according to two officials cited by the Wall Street Journal .

Reuters news agency also reported that thousands of soldiers were expected to be deployed, citing two people familiar with the matter.

The forces would come from the army's 82nd Airborne Division, a brigade known for its ability to deploy quickly anywhere in the world.

The officials did not specify where in the Middle East the troops would go or when they would arrive.

The 82nd Airborne Division is stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and specializes in parachuting into hostile or contested territory to secure land.

The officials told the WSJ and Reuters that a decision to put boots on the ground in Iran had not been made.

But the military buildup could give US President Donald Trump options for future operations, such as reopening the Strait of Hormuz by force or seizing Iran's strategic islands, the WSJ reported.

Last week, the US deployed 2,500 Marines and sailors aboard the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship, to the region.

The New York Times first reported on Monday that the Trump administration was weighing the possible deployment of the 82nd Airborne Division.

Iran arrests 466 people over online activities
Police in Iran have arrested 466 people accused of trying to destabilize the country through their online activities, state media reported.

It's one of the biggest security operations since the war with Israel and the US started last month.

"These individuals sought to sow confusion in public opinion, create fear and anxiety in society, promote insecurity and spread propaganda in favor of the enemy," state news agency IRNA said, citing Iranian police.

It was not clear what date the arrests took place or what the online activities entailed.

Iranian authorities have cut off the internet since February 28, when the US and Israel began carrying out strikes on the country.

Residents can still access the local internet to communicate, but some have tried to circumvent the blackout by connecting via VPNs or Starlink .

According to Iranian media reports, police have made more than 1,000 arrests over the past month, mainly affecting people accused of filming sensitive locations, "cooperating with the enemy" or sharing anti-government content online.

Before the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Iranian authorities brutally put down public protests , with estimates of the number of people killed ranging from the thousands to tens of thousands.

'Talking is always better' than fighting, China tells Iran
China 's top diplomat has called for peace talks to start as soon as possible in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas ‌Araghchi.

A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Wang Yi told Araghchi that "talking is always better" than fighting.

"All hot spot issues ​should be ‌resolved through dialogue and negotiation, ​not ⁠by using force," he added, according to the statement.

The phone call came after Tehran denied US President Donald Trump's claim that negotiations between the parties in the Iran war were underway.

Beijing is a key partner of Iran , but has condemned Tehran's strikes on Gulf states and has urged a ceasefire.

China's Foreign Ministry said Wang told Araghchi he hoped "all parties can seize every opportunity and window for peace and start the peace talks process as quickly as possible."
According to the statement, the Iranian foreign minister said his side is "committed to achieving a comprehensive end to the conflict, not just a temporary ceasefire."
Trump had been due to visit Beijing this month but postponed the trip due to the war.

Why China's support for Iran has clear limits
Qatar denies mediating between US and Iran
Qatar says it is not mediating between the US and Iran but supports all diplomatic efforts to end the war .

The comments from the Qatari Foreign Ministry came after US President Donald Trump said Washington had held productive talks with Tehran, which Iran denied.

"We are not involved in these talks," Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari told journalists.

The small Gulf country has mediated several disputes in the region and has good ties with the United States, but its relations with Iran have deteriorated following Iranian strikes on Qatari natural gas facilities.

"Our main concern and focus at present is on protecting our country and taking diplomatic steps to ensure that happens," al-Ansari said.

He added that the destruction of Iran is not an option.

"We in the Gulf believe in co-existence.

We believe in reaching out to Iran," he said.

"We will have to find a way past this.

This is a very difficult moment, but we will find our way out of it."
While Qatar has ruled out playing a role in potential negotiations, Pakistan has said it is ready to host talks between the US and Iran.

Egypt's foreign minister has also been speaking to officials on both sides in recent days.

Philippines declares national energy emergency in wake of war in Middle East
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

declared a state of national energy emergency, saying that high oil prices caused by the war in the Middle East were threatening the country's energy security .

Under the declaration, which would initially last for a year, Marcos would lead a contingency committee to monitor and ensure the availability and orderly distribution of fuel, food, medicines, agricultural products and other basic goods.

Authorities were ordered to take action against hoarding, profiteering and manipulation of the supply of petroleum products.

The Department of Migrant Workers, meanwhile, was asked to brace for the possible rescue and evacuation of Filipinos in the Middle East.

More than 2 million Filipinos live and work in the Middle East.

32 countries to release record oil reserves as prices surge
Bangladesh hikes jet fuel prices by 79%
The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) increased jet fuel prices, which is one of the biggest expenses for carriers, on Tuesday by 79%.

The order issued by the energy commission meant that aviation fuel prices have now leapt by 111% since the start of the war, with the price at $1.32 per liter.

"We had to adjust the jet fuel price for the second time this month, considering the international fuel price rate which has shot up," BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed said in a statement.

Millions of Bangladeshis work abroad, including in Gulf states.

Pakistan PM says his country ready to host talks to end Iran war
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says Islamabad is prepared to "facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks" to end the US-Israel war with Iran .

"Pakistan welcomes and fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end the WAR in Middle East, in the interest of peace and stability in (the) region and beyond," he wrote on X.

Pakistan, an ally of Iran, has been pushing for diplomatic negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

There has also been speculation that it could take on the role of mediator.

"Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict," Sharif said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that Islamabad "remains committed to resolving the ongoing conflict in the Middle East" through diplomacy and engagement.

At the same time, it urged the media to "refrain from speculation and to await official announcements regarding decisions and outcomes."
US media outlet Axios reported that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner may meet an Iranian delegation for talks in Pakistan as early as this week.

Trump, Modi speak on Iran war, as Indian-flagged vessels pass through Hormuz
US President Donald Trump spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in the Middle East and the "importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open," US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor posted to X.

Modi also posted to X shortly after that he received a call from Trump and that the two had a "useful exchange of views" on the situation in the Middle East.

Modi said India "supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest," adding that the safe transit of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz is essential for the world.

The conversation between Trump and Modi took place after two more Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquified petroleum gas were allowed to make their way safely through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.

Iran has effectively closed the strait, through which almost all Middle Eastern oil flows to the rest of the world.

The Indian government on Tuesday also called for an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Iran war, Indian news agency ANI reported.

READ — Germany laments Trump's 'avoidable, unnecessary' Iran war
Marking 75 years since the Foreign Ministry's post-war reformation, Germany's president and foreign minister have warned of "profound change" in ties with Berlin's most important ally, the US, amid an "unnecessary" Iran war.

Rubio heads to France to sell Iran war to skeptical G7 allies
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend a Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting near Versailles on Friday, the State Department said.

The statement said the meeting outside Paris will focus on Russia's war in Ukraine , the situation in the Middle East and threats across the world to peace and stability.

Nearly all of the other G7 nations — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — have largely resisted President Donald Trump's demands for military help with the war in Iran.

Iranian commander promises 'complete victory'
"Iran’s powerful armed forces are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran’s integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory," said Major General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the Khatam-al Anbiya, head of Iran's Central Headquarters.

He did not say what "complete victory" would look like, but his comments came a few hours after Tehran denied claims by US President Donald Trump that he had spoken to Iranian officials about an end to the conflict.

It did appear as though he was alluding to Trump's claims that Iran might make concessions, warning that they had no intention of doing so.