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Issued on: 23/03/2026 - 02:52Modified: 23/03/2026 - 03:04
A navy vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, where the war against Iran has effectively stopped oil tanker traffic © Sahar Al Attar, AFP
Iran on Monday faces a deadline by President Donald Trump to open up the crucial Strait of Hormuz or face a major US assault on power plants, as Israel warned of weeks more of war. The International Energy Agency said the crisis is more severe than the 1970s oil shocks combined. Follow our liveblog for all the latest updates.
Yesterday's key developments:
- Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the reason maritime traffic is not passing through the Strait of Hormuz is because insurance companies are concerned about the US-initiated war – not because of Iran’s actions.
- French President Macron has held a telephone call with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in which he said that France is committed “to contributing to the air defence of Saudi territory”.
- Israel’s military will expand its ground operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, its army chief said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
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