Israel approves billions in new military funds

Israel's new, defense-heavy budget comes as its forces fight Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, while also pursuing operations in Gaza.

The UN said one of its peacekeepers was killed in Lebanon.

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Here are the developments in the US-Israel war with Iran on Monday, March 30, 2026:
Iranian Foreign Ministry again denies talks with US
Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, has once again refuted claims by US President Donald Trump that there are ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran to end the war.

"First of all, we haven't had any direct negotiations yet," Baghaei said in a press conference, reported on by the semi-official news agency Tasnim.

He said that Iran had received a request for talks from the US via third parties but responded by saying: "I wonder how many people in America take the claims of American diplomacy seriously!"
"Our task, unlike that of the other side that keeps changing, is clear."
"Iran's position has been clear from the beginning and we know exactly what our framework for negotiations is," he said.

"The content that has been passed to us consists of excessive and irrational demands."
He also said it was good for neighboring countries to seek an end to the war, but that "they must be aware of which side started the war."
"Our position is clear.

We ​are ⁠under military aggression.

Therefore, all our ⁠efforts ​and strength are focused on defending ourselves," he added.

Which leading Iranian figures have been killed in US-Israeli strikes?

Lawmaker calls for Iran to leave nuclear non-proliferation treaty
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, an influential lawmaker in the Iranian Parliament, has called for Iran to drop out of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

"Why should we accept the restrictions?" Boroujerdi said on state television.

"We are not seeking a nuclear weapon anyway.

But it's not like that we are supposed to observe the rules of the game and they bomb us."
"In my opinion, the time has come to leave the NPT," he said.

Hard-liners in Tehran have long called for the end of the NPT while also saying Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons.

Signatories to the NPT agree not to build or obtain nuclear weapons and to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect any civilian nuclear facilities.

Iran has restricted IAEA access for years and blocked the agency from visiting the three enrichment sites bombed by the US last year.

Israel is not a signatory to the NPT.

IRGC confirms death of naval commander Tangsiri
Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has confirmed the death of Alireza Tangsiri, a naval commander who was responsible for operations in closing the Strait of Hormuz .

The IRGC said Tangsiri "succumbed to severe injuries."
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz first announced the death last Thursday, saying: "In a precise and lethal ⁠operation, ​the ​IDF eliminated ​the commander of ‌the IRGC Navy, ​Tangsiri, ⁠along with senior ⁠naval ​command officials."
Iran hangs 2 men convicted of links to People's Mujahedin
Two men were executed in Iran on Monday after being convicted of being members of the banned opposition group , the People's Mujahedin of Iran, also known as the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) .

"After confirmation and final approval of the sentence by the Supreme Court, Akbar Daneshvarkar and Mohammad Taghavi-Sangdehi were hanged this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

Mizan reported that the two men had been involved in "riots and urban terrorist actions," but it was not clear if this was connected with the large-scale protests that shook the country at the beginning of the year.

The Fars news agency reported that weapons had been found in their apartments and that they were planning to carry out attacks.

MEK has been banned since the 1980s and is classed as a terror organization by Tehran.

The group has also, at times, been put on the terrorism list in both the US and EU.

They aim to overthrow the Islamic Republic regime but have drawn criticism both from the government and other opposition groups in exile for their methods.

The Islamist-socialist group gained notoriety for siding with Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

Jakarta confirms Indonesian peacekeeper killed in Lebanon
Indonesia confirmed on Monday that one of its peacekeepers was killed and three others wounded by "indirect artillery fire" in southern Lebanon .

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement that they did not know the origin of the weapon but have launched an investigation.

The incident occurred on Sunday near the town of Adchit Al Qusayr, close to Lebanon's southern border with Israel, where Israeli forces have been fighting against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah for nearly a month.

UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned the killing on X.

"This is just one of a number of recent incidents that have jeopardized the safety and security of peacekeepers," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry expressed its condolences and urged that the security of UN peacekeeping troops be respected "at all times."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family, and we wish a full and swift recovery to the injured personnel," the ministry said.

"Indonesia is working with UNIFIL to ensure the prompt repatriation of the fallen and the best possible medical treatment for the injured," it added.

The peacekeeping mission in Lebanon was created in 1978 to monitor the ceasefire and ensure humanitarian access to civilians.

It has over 8,000 personnel deployed, according to UN figures from January.

Australia slashes fuel, diesel taxes to ease Iran war cost pressures
Australia will slash its fuel and diesel taxes by half for the next three months in an effort to ease soaring costs linked to the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the move, saying the cut to the fuel excise will reduce pump prices by 26.3 Australian cents per liter.

"We are making fuel cheaper today because we understand that Australians are under serious pressure," he said.

Canberra will also pause the road-user charge on heavy vehicles for the same three-month period.

The combined measures are expected to cost the government A$ 2.55 billion ($1.75 billion, €1.52 billion).

WATCH: Has the Iran war harmed nuclear non-proliferation efforts?

US President Trump said striking Iran would stop a nuclear threat.

Now, more countries are considering speeding up their own programs.

Are we at the start of a new arms race?

DW's Nehal Johri takes a look.

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Trump says US-Israel war has triggered 'regime change' in Iran
US President Donald Trump says the US-Israel war has effectively brought about regime change in Iran, referencing the killing of several senior Iranian leaders during the conflict.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the deaths of top Iranian figures mean the US is now "dealing with different people than anybody's dealt with before."
He described the shift as "regime change," even as he expressed confidence that Washington would "make a deal with them very soon."
Trump added he was "pretty sure" an agreement could be reached despite the ongoing fighting.

Trump tells FT he wants to 'take the oil in Iran'
US President Donald Trump told the Financial Times he wants to "take the oil in Iran."
"To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran but some stupid people back in the US say: 'why are you doing that?' But they're stupid people," the newspaper quoted the US president as saying.

His remarks were published as the price of the main US benchmark for oil once again surpassed $100 a barrel, while Brent climbed above $115.

Trump also told the FT the US could seize Iran's export hub of Kharg Island.

"Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don't.

We have a lot of options."
Over the weekend, The Washington Post quoted US officials as saying the Pentagon was preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, adding that it was not yet clear if Trump would approve such plans.

Netanyahu says Catholic cardinal to be given 'full' access to Holy Sepulchre church
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered police to give the head of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem "full and immediate access" to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Police had blocked the Latin patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Friar Francesco Ielpo from entering the church to celebrate a private Palm Sunday Mass.

The move drew sharp international criticism, with Italy's prime minister calling it an insult to freedom of worship.

Netanyahu said there was no "malicious intent," explaining that the cardinal was prevented from accessing the church because of safety concerns.

He added that Israel would try to partially open the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

"Given the holiness of the week leading up to Easter for the world's Christians, Israel's security arms are putting together a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site in the coming days," Netanyahu wrote.

UN peacekeeper killed, another critically injured in explosion in Lebanon
A peacekeeper deployed with the UN mission in Lebanon was killed when a projectile exploded at one of its positions.

The mission, known as UNIFIL, said another peacekeeper was critically injured in the explosion near the southern Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusayr.

"We do not know the origin of the projectile.

We have launched an investigation to determine all of the circumstances," UNIFIL added.

The UN peacekeeping force, deployed in southern Lebanon, has found itself amid ongoing strikes between the Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli military.

UNIFIL mainly acts as an observer in the conflict , conducting foot and vehicle patrols between the Blue Line, a buffer zone between Lebanon and Israel, and the Litani River.

It also patrols the area near the shoreline with its naval peacekeeping force.

Israel parliament approves budget boosting defense
Israel's parliament has approved the 2026 state budget, sharply increasing defense spending as the country remains at war on multiple fronts.

The military allocation will rise by more than $10 billion (€8.7 billion), pushing the defense budget above $45 billion, more than double its pre‑Gaza war level in 2023.

The overall national budget stands at 850 billion Israeli shekels, or over $270 billion — the largest in Israel's history.

Israel and its main ally, the United States, have been at war with Iran since February 28.

Additionally, Israel is battling Hezbollah after invading southern Lebanon and continuing military operations in Gaza.

Local media have reported the government had also approved an $827 million advance for emergency military purchases.

Pakistan says it will host US-Iran talks in 'coming days'
Pakistan has announced it will act as a host for peace talks between the US and Iran, though there is still no confirmation from Washington or Tehran.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced Sunday that both sides had asked Islamabad to facilitate negotiations on the month-long conflict.

"Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days, for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict," he said.

It remains unclear whether the alleged talks would be direct or indirect.

Pakistan has emerged as an unexpected mediator between the warring parties, leveraging what officials describe as weeks of quiet diplomacy and its relatively good ties with the US and Iran.

But in Tehran, Iran's parliament speaker dismissed the talk of negotiations as a "cover," after some 2,500 US Marines arrived in the Middle East.

He warned Iranian forces were waiting to confront American troops and punish their regional partners.

Can Pakistan stop the Iran war?

Pakistan says it is ready to host peace talks between the United States and Iran, but neither side, at least publicly, has indicated they are willing to engage.

Tehran has accused the US of plotting a ground invasion despite the reported diplomatic efforts.

Meanwhile, Israel has just boosted its military spending.

An Israeli lawmaker said that in light of Operation "Roaring Lion," which it calls the military operation against Iran, about $10 billion (€8.7 billion) has been added to the Ministry of Defense budget.

With the Iran war now in its fifth week, oil prices have risen to more than $115 as markets opened in Asia.

We will have more on these and other developments in the Iran war in this blog.

If you want to catch up on what happened on Sunday, you can click here .