Iran confirms ‘messaging’ with mediators as China sees ‘glimmer of hope’ (PHOTOS/VIDEOS)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that Tehran maintains contact with mediators from “friendly” countries but insisted that no talks are ongoing with the US. China has suggested that ongoing diplomatic efforts “offer a glimmer of hope for peace.”

US President Donald Trump earlier claimed that Iranian leaders are desperate to reach a deal but fear retribution from their own people if they publicly admit it.

“They want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it because they figure they’ll be killed by their own people. They’re also afraid they’ll be killed by us,” Trump said.

Meanwhile, the US and Israel have reportedly “temporarily” removed Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf from their hit list in order to have someone to engage with in peace negotiations.

Earlier reports claimed that the US had sent a 15-point ultimatum to Iran demanding that it dismantle its nuclear program, guarantee free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and stop support for regional allies.

Iranian officials are said to have dismissed the roadmap, instead demanding significant concessions from Washington, including a full withdrawal of US forces from the Gulf and “concrete guarantees” that military operations would not resume.

Here are the latest developments:

• Beijing has said ongoing diplomatic efforts “offer a glimmer of hope for peace.”
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the US-Israeli hostilities with Iran are spiraling out of control, threatening to plunge the world into a broader conflict and a deeper economic crisis.
• Concerns over a potential ground operation have intensified following reports that the Pentagon is preparing to deploy 2,000 additional troops from an airborne assault unit to the region.
• Tehran said that its enemies – backed by an unnamed country – are preparing to occupy one of its islands. “Our forces are monitoring all enemy movements, and if they step out of line, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will, without restriction, become the target of relentless attacks,” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.

Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updates here.

• 26 March 2026

  10:14 GMT

  The Pentagon is considering rerouting weapons shipments meant for Ukraine to the Middle East as the Iran war takes a toll on the most critical US military stocks, the Washington Post has reported, citing sources.

  The diversion could particularly impact in-demand air defense interceptors, which have been one of Kiev’s key instruments in countering Russian drone and missile raids.

• 10:12 GMT

  Israel has received 8,000 tons of weapons, munitions, and military equipment since the start of the Iran war, the Defense Ministry has said.

• 09:36 GMT

  Iranian media outlets have shared footage of a funeral procession in Tabriz, where US-Israel strikes have killed at least 20 people.

• 09:27 GMT

  The IRGC has released a clip claiming to show Iranian missile strikes on regional targets.

• 09:08 GMT

  Two people were killed and three injured in Abu Dhabi after debris from a suspected Iranian missile intercepted in mid-air fell on the streets, according to local officials.

• 08:54 GMT

  The US and Gulf states used up 800 Patriot interceptors in the first five days of the war with Iran, European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius has said, adding that this number roughly amounts to a yearly production base in America.

  ”Arithmetic speaks very clearly,” Kubilius said.

  🇪🇺 The U.S. and Gulf countries used 800 Patriot missiles in the first five days of the Iran war, says EU Defense chief Andrius Kubilius But “their whole production … is 750 per year.” The figures make clear Europe needs to develop its own capacity, he added.🔗 POLITICO pic.twitter.com/dNZhjQVnel

  — The Daily News (@DailyNewsJustIn) March 24, 2026

• 08:39 GMT

  The IDF has released footage of what it claims was a strike on a Hezbollah command center in Lebanon.

• 08:21 GMT

  A US “ground operation in Iran is planned and could potentially be underway soon,” WSJ journalist Alex Ward has reported, citing senior congressional Republicans, including the chairs of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.

• 08:12 GMT

  Ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz are now only going through a corridor controlled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and are required to have specific clearance codes and an Iranian escort service, Lloyd’s List has reported, adding that Tehran has imposed a de-facto “toll booth regime.”

  The outlet said vessel operators secure clearance through approved intermediaries by submitting full documentation, including ship identification number, ownership chain, cargo manifest, destination, and a full crew list.

  While many ships have not paid fees directly, some have, with payments being made in Chinese yuan, the report says.

• 07:51 GMT

  The Iranian parliament has drafted a bill to collect tolls for passing the Strait of Hormuz, the Fars news agency has reported. Citing a senior MP, the outlet said the document is set to be finalized next week.
  

  “Iran must collect fees to ensure the security of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This is completely natural; just as in other corridors, when goods pass through a country, duties are paid, the Strait of Hormuz is also a corridor; we ensure its security, and it is natural for ships and tankers to pay its duties,” the report says.

‘While Trump’s army is out of the reach of Iranian rockets, the allies have to clean up his sh*t’ – Rudi Kennes

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