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Wednesday marked the 26th day of the US, Israel-Iran conflict. US President Donald Trump said Iran agreed never to have a nuclear weapon and sent a “significant prize” related to the Strait of Hormuz even as he declared victory in the three-week war.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump claimed Iran was keen to “make a deal” and indicated that Vice President J D Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special envoy on Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were leading the negotiations.
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On being asked what role India can play in mediating this situation in the Middle East, Dr Mohammad Fathali, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India, told ANI.
"India can certainly play an effective and positive role in reducing tensions. As a major actor in the Global South and given its balanced foreign policy, India holds a special position to help de-escalate tensions and facilitate dialogue.
India maintains historical and strategic relations with all parties, which enables it to act as a trusted player in reducing misunderstandings and strengthening diplomatic pathways.
On being asked how many Indian vessels are currently present in the Strait of Hormuz, and when they will receive clearance to proceed toward India, Dr Mohammad Fathali, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India, says
"Regarding Indian vessels, I do not have precise information about their number. However, the cases that have been reported are being followed up, and some of them have already had safe passage.
Any delays in their transit are due to the conditions created by our adversaries to destabilise the Strait. I emphasise that the Strait of Hormuz is not closed. Only vessels belonging to the aggressor parties, namely the United States and the Zionist regime, as well as other participants in this aggression, who under international law do not qualify for innocent passage, are not permitted to transit through the Strait.
Vessels belonging to other countries, provided they have not participated in or supported aggressive operations against Iran, can benefit from safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz..."
Delhi | On being asked how many Indian vessels are currently present in the Strait of Hormuz, and when they will receive clearance to proceed toward India, Dr Mohammad Fathali, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India, says, "Regarding Indian vessels, I do not have… pic.twitter.com/8vlrc0WbmV
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2026
In an interview to ANI, Dr Mohammad Fathali, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India, says, "According to Iranian officials, there are currently no negotiations underway with the United States, neither direct nor indirect. The claim made by Donald Trump on social media appears to be aimed more at manipulating financial and oil markets and escaping the difficult situation in which the United States and Israel find themselves. We neither fear Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum nor consider his calls for talks to be genuine. From our perspective, unless there is a real change in the behaviour of the opposing side, there is fundamentally no basis for the formation of any diplomatic path. The United States speaks of dialogue while simultaneously carrying out attacks against our economic and civilian infrastructure, and under such circumstances, any talk of negotiations is effectively meaningless..."
In an interview to ANI, Dr Mohammad Fathali, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India, says, "According to Iranian officials, there are currently no negotiations underway with the United States, neither direct nor indirect. The claim made by Donald Trump on social… pic.twitter.com/iRo0dRTGrd
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2026
International crude oil prices fell early Wednesday after a US diplomatic push to end the war with Iran eased geopolitical concerns. The global benchmark Brent crude futures fell nearly 6% to $98.31 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate futures dropped 5% at $87.65 per barrel.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said never in history has a modern military been so rapidly and historically obliterated, defeated from day one.
“Never in history has a modern military, Iran had a modern military, a modern Navy, a modern Air Force, modern air defences, leadership, massive bunker. Never has a modern military been so rapidly and historically obliterated, defeated from day one with overwhelming firepower,” Hegseth said.
On those who are involved in the Iran negotiations from the US administration, Trump said, "... JD (Vance) is involved. Marco is involved. Jared Kushner is involved... Steve Witkoff is involved, and I am involved... If Iran had a nuclear weapon, it would have used it. If I didn't end the horrible Barack Hussein Obama Iran nuclear deal in my first administration, they would have had a nuclear weapon 3 or 4 years ago. They would have used it... We obliterated their nuclear potential..."
#WATCH | On those who are involved in the Iran negotiations from the US administration, US President Donald Trump says, "... JD (Vance) is involved. Marco is involved. Jared Kushner is involved... Steve Witkoff is involved, and I am involved... If Iran had a nuclear weapon, it… pic.twitter.com/6uDhh3TZVi
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2026
On how hopeful he is that the peace negotiations with Iran will work out, Trump says, "I think we are going to end it. I cannot tell you for sure. We have won this... We literally have planes flying over Tehran and other parts of their country. They can't do a thing about it. For instance, if I wanna take down that power plant, they can't do a thing about it... They are totally defeated... Militarily, they are dead."
On whether the negotiations with Iran are regarding who is going to control the Strait of Hormuz from now on, Trump said, "We will have control of anything we want. If we can end this without more lives being down, without knocking out $10 billion electric plants, that are brand new, the apple of their eye, I would like to be able to do that. They can't have certain things..."
"It starts with no nuclear weapons, and they have agreed to that. There won't be any nuclear weapons... We are in about the best bargaining position. We are way ahead of schedule. They have no Navy, no Air Force and no missile protection..."
#WATCH | On whether the negotiations with Iran are regarding who is going to control the Strait of Hormuz from now on, US President Donald Trump says, "We will have control of anything we want. If we can end this without more lives being down, without knocking out $10 billion… pic.twitter.com/mkwAWN32S4
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2026
On why he is holding the talks regarding negotiations with Iran amidst the ongoing Middle East conflict, Trump said,
"Because they are going to make a deal... They gave us a present yesterday, and it arrived today. It was a very big present worth a tremendous amount of money... It was a very significant price, and they gave it to us, and they said that they were gonna give it.
That meant one thing to me: that we are dealing with the right people... It was oil and gas related... The leadership was killed. All gone. Khamenei was all gone, as the expression goes, the past Supreme Leader.
Then the new Supreme Leader was, at a minimum, racked up pretty good... We are dealing with a group of people who turned out. The present they gave to us was very significant... They are the only ones that could have done it... It was related to the flow, to the Strait (of Hormuz)."
On what makes him trust Iran, Trump said, "I don't trust anybody... Why do you say trust? Do you think I trust them? I don't trust them
#WATCH | On what makes him trust Iran, US President Donald Trump says, "I don't trust anybody... Why do you say trust? Do you think I trust them? I don't trust them."
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2026
(Source: The White House) pic.twitter.com/gRmz5ZUGMc
On who exactly in Iran is he speaking with, regarding the ceasefire amidst the ongoing Middle East Conflict, Trump says,"... We killed all their leadership. Then they meant to choose new leaders, and we killed all of them. We have a new group, and we can easily do that, but let's see how they turn out...This is a change in the regime because the leaders are all very different from the ones that we started off with, who created all those problems... "
#WATCH | On who exactly in Iran is he speaking with, regarding the ceasefire amidst the ongoing West Asia Conflict, US President Donald Trump says, "... We killed all their leadership. Then they meant to choose new leaders, and we killed all of them. We have a new group, and we… pic.twitter.com/yA5sLt38NS
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2026
What made Donald Trump pursue the ceasefire amidst the ongoing Middle East conflict
US President Donald Trump said, " The fact that they are talking to us and they are talking sense. It all starts with: they cannot have a nuclear weapon. They said, what are the top 10? I said, number 1, 2 and 3 is they can't have a nuclear weapon... They have agreed that they will never have a nuclear weapon..."
#WATCH | On what made him pursue the ceasefire amidst the ongoing West Asia conflict, US President Donald Trump says, " The fact that they are talking to us and they are talking sense. It all starts with: they cannot have a nuclear weapon. They said, what are the top 10? I said,… pic.twitter.com/IYxA3W3b21
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2026
Hello and welcome. Here's what happened over the night!
On the negotiations with Iran amidst the ongoing Middle East conflict, Trump said"...
We are in negotiations right now... The other side would like to make a deal... All of the anti-aircraft and most of their missiles are gone...
Today we were gonna have the privilege of shooting down a very big electric generation plant, one of the biggest in the world... We held off based on the fact that we are negotiating."
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