Israel strikes Tehran as fragile diplomatic push gathers pace

2026-03-25 - 20:20

Israel launched fresh strikes on Tehran on Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was making progress in efforts to end the war, with the United States and regional mediators awaiting Iran’s response to a de-escalation proposal. The Israeli military said it had targeted infrastructure across the Iranian capital, while local media reported that some strikes hit residential areas, prompting rescue teams to search through rubble. At the same time, Reuters reported that Washington had submitted a 15-point proposal to Tehran, although an Iranian military spokesperson denied that substantive negotiations were under way, saying the United States was “negotiating with itself.” The divergence between intensifying military action and diplomatic messaging highlights the fragility of any political breakthrough, even as U.S. media reported efforts to arrange a high-level meeting in the coming days in Pakistan or Türkiye. Tehran has yet to confirm its willingness to participate in such talks. Across the Gulf, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia said they had intercepted new drones on Wednesday, signalling continued regional spillover. Gulf states also told the United Nations Human Rights Council that Iranian attacks on their infrastructure pose a serious threat to regional and international security. The conflict continues to weigh on global energy and financial markets. After weeks of supply disruptions and elevated prices, equities rose and oil prices eased on Wednesday, amid hopes for a one-month ceasefire and a potential resumption of Gulf oil exports if diplomatic efforts gain traction. However, signs of diplomacy have done little to dispel broader concerns. Washington is simultaneously reinforcing its military posture in the region while Israel presses ahead with air strikes, sustaining the risk of a wider conflict even as diplomatic contacts intensify. In a sign of mounting risks to strategic infrastructure, Russia’s Rosatom said it had evacuated 163 additional staff from Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, leaving around 300 personnel at the site as security concerns grow.