President Donald Trump confirmed Monday that the U.S. is negotiating with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, according to the New York Post.
Trump had not previously identified who was representing Iran in the ongoing cease-fire talks.
Trump reportedly said he is not yet sure whether Ghalibaf is reliable, saying we will "find out in about a week."
NATO intercepted Iranian missiles targeting Turkey, a NATO spokesperson announced on Monday.
"NATO again successfully intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile heading to Türkiye," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"NATO is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend all Allies," the statement continued.
The interception comes as President Donald Trump has criticized NATO for a lack of involvement in the Ira war.
The Israel Defense Forces removed an entire battalion from action in the West Bank after soldiers detained and allegedly assaulted a CNN crew, the IDF announced on Monday.
CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond reported that his crew’s photojournalist was assaulted by Israeli soldiers while covering an attack in the West Bank, allegedly by Israeli settlers. Diamond said the IDF detained his crew for two hours in the Palestinian village of Tayasir.
"The soldiers detained the team, after one of the soldiers placed CNN photojournalist Cyril Theophilos in a chokehold, bringing him to ground and damaging his camera," CNN reported, noting that the ordeal was under investigation by Israel’s military police.
Diamond relayed in a video that the soldiers pointed their rifles at them as they approached and ordered them to sit. He said he and his team were posing no threat, and he said the outpost established by Israeli settlers was illegal, even under Israeli law.
The IDF announced Monday that its "inquiry found several failures in the conduct of the soldiers toward the reporters."
"In addition, deficiencies were identified in behavioral norms, deviations from IDF orders, and inappropriate communication with members of the press in violation of established procedures," the IDF posted on social media.
"The IDF respects and enables freedom of the press in the area and regrets the incident," the IDF continued. "Therefore there was an immediate suspension of the battalion’s operational deployment in the area."
IDF Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir also condemned the incident in a statement, making it clear the way the CNN crew was treated was unacceptable.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Brian Flood.
{{#rendered}}U.S. Central Command released a photo of a B-52 Stratofortress during a combat flight in the Middle East on Monday.
"A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress is refueled during a combat flight supporting Operation Epic Fury, March 26," CENTCOM wrote in a post on X.
President Donald Trump says Iran will allow 20 cargo ships to transport oil through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
The concession comes as the U.S. and Tehran are engaged in ceasefire talks this week, as Trump says there is a "new and more reasonable" regime in power.
Israeli officials say Iran's internet blackout is concealing the full extent of the damage that U.S. and Israeli strikes have delt to the Iranian regime in recent weeks.
Fox News' Trey Yingst says Iranians have spent nearly 30 days without internet access, which has been cut off by the regime in Tehran.
"700+ hours without internet in Iran," Yingst wrote in a post on X. "Israeli officials are now sounding the alarm about the ongoing blackout."
"When this blackout is lifted, the full extent of the damage to the regime will become clear," a senior Israeli intelligence official told Fox News.
{{#rendered}}President Donald Trump says the U.S. and Tehran are in "serious discussions" about ending the war in Iran and have made "serious progress" Monday.
"The United States of America is in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran," Trump wrote.
"Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately 'Open for Business,' we will conclude our lovely 'stay' in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet 'touched,' Trump continued.
"This will be in retribution for our many soldiers, and others, that Iran has butchered and killed over the old Regime’s 47 year 'Reign of Terror,'" he added.
Spain closed its airspace to U.S. warplanes operating in the war against Iran on Monday.
Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced the closure in a statement to reporters, saying the nation's government had been "clear" on its stance against the war in Iran.
“This was made perfectly clear to the American military and forces from the very beginning. Therefore, neither the bases are authorized, nor, of course, is the use of Spanish airspace authorized for any actions related to the war in Iran,” Robles told reporters.
“I think everyone knows Spain’s position. It’s very clear,” Robles said, going on to declare the war “profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust.”
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s vast missile system is the brainchild of the U.S.-designated state-sponsor of terrorism, the communist North Korea regime, which works hand in glove with Iran, according to one of the world’s leading experts on the Iran-North Korea strategic alliance.
"The missile launched at Diego Garcia was a Musudan. The Iranians bought 19 of these from the North Koreans and took delivery in 2005. They have had this capability since 2005 — and this is no ‘secret weapon,"’ Bruce Bechtol, who co-authored with Anthony Celso the groundbreaking book "Rogue Allies: The Strategic Partnership Between Iran and North Korea," told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital reported last week that Iran significantly escalated its war effort against the U.S. with its launch of two intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia—roughly 2,500 miles from Iran.
Bechtol said, "The most important threat from Iran as the war with the United States and Israel has evolved has been the ballistic missiles, launched not only at U.S. facilities and Israeli cities, but also at neighboring Islamic countries. Thus, it is important to consider this capability and where Iran got it."
He said, "The short-range ballistic missiles that Iran has launched at key U.S. facilities and at neighboring Arab states include a key system – the "QIAM." The QIAM was developed and improved with North Korean assistance… North Korea has proliferated a lot to Iran that we are seeing right now in the war."
The joint U.S.-Israeli war against Iran’s regime, the world’s worst state-sponsor of terrorism, according to the U.S. State Department, has entered its fifth week of combat.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal.
{{#rendered}}Iran is fighting what its parliament speaker calls a “major world war,” as accusations against the U.S. intensified Sunday.
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, quoted by Iranian state media, suggested Washington is publicly signaling wanting to negotiate but is privately preparing for a possible ground attack.
“Our enemy speaks publicly of negotiations while secretly planning a ground attack, without realizing our forces are waiting for the Americans to enter,” Ghalibaf said.
“We are in a major world war and must prepare ourselves for a long, difficult, and complex path,” Ghalibaf said.
Ynet reported that he emphasized Iran’s military posture and declared that its missile operations would not end.
“Our launches continue, our missiles will not stop, and our determination has only grown stronger,” he warned.Ghalibaf, a 64-year-old hardliner, is reportedly among a small group of leaders consolidating power in the new regime.
He pointed to Iran-backed groups across the region as important parts of Iran's campaign.
Hezbollah in Lebanon, he said, has become “an important and effective part of the resistance,” while allied forces in Iraq are “fighting bravely.”
He also claimed that the Houthis in Yemen have “breathed new life” into the campaign.
Ghalibaf also said Iran would not exit the war without asserting its strength.
“We will not allow our enemies to leave without demonstrating our power and turning this war into a lesson for any aggressor,” he said.
Fox News' Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
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