Iran live updates: Trump threatens Iran infrastructure strikes if talks fail

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Last updated: Monday, March 30, 2026 3:59PM GMT
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President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Tehran on the first day of strikes, with his son Mojtaba Khamenei later chosen to succeed him. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and multiple Gulf nations. Iran is also attempting to block some shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel is also intensifying its long-running strike campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and expanding its ground operations in the south of the country.

Watch special coverage on Nightline, "War with Iran," each night on ABC and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

ByMariam Khan and Hannah Demissie ABCNews logo
Mar 23, 2026, 11:32 PM GMT

White House says US-Iran talks a 'fluid situation'

The Trump administration is not confirming if and when in-person talks will take place between U.S. and Iranian officials in the coming days, calling the situation "fluid."

"These are sensitive diplomatic discussions, and the United States will not negotiate through the press. This is a fluid situation, and speculation about meetings should not be deemed as final until they are formally announced by the White House," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to ABC News.

When asked if U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Vice President JD Vance were expected to travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, later this week to meet with Iranian officials -- as Reuters has reported -- the State Department referred ABC News to the White House.

Vance's office has not responded to requests for comment.

Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran. A Pakistani official familiar with the negotiations said there are "several proposals" floating around regarding the next steps for talks and that an in-person meeting in Islamabad is on the table. Turkey and Egypt are also helping to facilitate the talks between the U.S. and Iran, the official said.

The official said the talks would likely take place within the next five days in accordance with President Donald Trump's social media post, in which he said strikes on Iranian power plants were "paused" for the next five days as Tehran and Washington engage in diplomatic negotiations. The official cautioned that nothing is final as of yet.

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Mar 23, 2026, 5:38 PM GMT

Iran continues to deny any talks with US

Iranian officials have continued to deny that any talks took place with the U.S., after President Donald Trump said earlier Monday that Washington and Tehran had two days of "productive" talks with Iran.

According to state media, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Qalibaf said "no talks with the U.S. have taken place" and that "reports claiming otherwise are fake news aimed at influencing financial and oil markets and distracting from the challenges facing the U.S. and Israel."

During an event in Memphis on Monday afternoon, Trump said the U.S. is having "really good discussions" with Iran.

"I think they're very good. They want peace. They've agreed they will not have a nuclear weapon, you know, etc., etc., but we'll see," Trump said. "You have to get it done. But I would say there's a very good chance."

ByMichelle Stoddart ABCNews logo
Mar 23, 2026, 3:26 PM GMT

Trump details US-Iran talks, says Iran agreed to not have nuclear weapon

President Donald Trump talked about the ongoing negotiations with Iran during a lengthy gaggle on the tarmac in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday.

Trump said that Iran and the U.S. had many points of agreement in the current talks, which he previously said had been happening for two days - and he said that Iran agreed to never have a nuclear weapon.

President Donald Trump speaks with the media before boarding Air Force One, Monday, March 23, 2026, at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla.
President Donald Trump speaks with the media before boarding Air Force One, Monday, March 23, 2026, at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Trump said talks would continue over the next few days. He said Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner have been involved in those talks.

"We have had very, very strong talks. We'll see where they lead. But we have point -- major points of agreement, I would say, almost all points of agreement, perhaps that hasn't been conveyed," Trump said. "The communication, as you know, has been blown to pieces. They're unable to talk to each other. But we've had very strong talks. Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner had them. They went, I would say, perfectly. I would say that if they carry through with that, it'll end that -- that problem, that conflict, and I think it'll end it very, very substantially."

When pressed about who they are speaking with in Iran, Trump said, "a top person."

"Don't forget, we've wiped out the leadership phase one, phase two and largely phase three. But we're dealing with a man who I believe is the most respected and the leader," Trump said.

Trump said he is not talking to the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

ByMichelle Stoddart ABCNews logo
Mar 23, 2026, 11:28 AM GMT

Trump says no Iran energy attacks for 5 days, cites 'productive' talks

President Donald Trump said Monday he had instructed the Pentagon "to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions."

President Donald Trump listens to a reporter's question during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office of the White House, on St. Patrick's Day.
President Donald Trump listens to a reporter's question during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office of the White House, on St. Patrick's Day.

Trump said Washington and Tehran "have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East."

The president had threatened to strike Iranian power plants on Saturday unless Tehran ended its efforts to block commercial shipping from transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. That deadline was set to expire on Monday evening.

Trump said Monday that U.S.-Iran talks would "continue throughout the week."