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Tehran approves new Hormuz plan with major restrictions

Al Mayadeen | March 31, 2026

An Iranian lawmaker confirmed the approval of a draft bill to manage the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a major shift in Tehran’s approach to one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.

Mojtaba Zarei, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee in parliament, said lawmakers had endorsed a “project to manage the Strait of Hormuz,” according to Fars and Tasnim news agencies.

Zarei outlined that the bill includes comprehensive measures covering security arrangements, maritime navigation safety, and environmental considerations. It also introduces financial frameworks, including fee systems, to be conducted in Iranian currency.

The legislation further seeks to prevent American and Israeli-linked vessels from transiting the strait, alongside restricting passage for countries participating in unilateral sanctions against Iran.

Expanded sovereign and military role

The bill reinforces Iran’s sovereign authority over the strait, granting a central role to the country’s armed forces in its implementation.

It also emphasizes coordination with the Sultanate of Oman in shaping the legal framework governing the waterway.

Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref earlier stated that the management system of the Strait of Hormuz “has changed and will not return to what it was”, as Tehran works to convert recent gains into concrete economic and security guarantees that affirm its sovereign interests.

Iran could emerge stronger from the war, more dangerous to US: FT

Financial Times columnist Gideon Rachman argues that Iran is emerging from the US-Israeli war on it in a position of strategic strength, having demonstrated the capacity to close the Strait of Hormuz and impose a reported transit toll on commercial shipping, in a development that has exposed the limits of US military and diplomatic power in the region.

There is no question that the Islamic Republic has absorbed significant blows since the war began. Senior leadership, including the country’s leader, was martyred in the opening hours of the aggression, and missile launchers, ships, and command centres have been reportedly attacked.

Yet Iran has not merely held its ground. By effectively closing the strait and charging vessels a reported $2 million each for passage, Tehran has converted military pressure into economic leverage, and potentially into a permanent revenue stream.

With approximately 140 ships transiting the strait daily under normal conditions, the toll mechanism could generate billions of dollars per month for the Islamic Republic.

March 31, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Tehran approves new Hormuz plan with major restrictions

No Threat Can Force Iran’s Surrender /Trita Parsi & Lt Cl Daniel Davis

Daniel Davis / Deep Dive – March 30, 2026

March 31, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Militarism, Video, Wars for Israel | , , | Comments Off on No Threat Can Force Iran’s Surrender /Trita Parsi & Lt Cl Daniel Davis

Growing insecurity, soaring prices fuel protests in north as regime bans evacuation: Sources

Press TV – March 30, 2026

The worsening situation on the internal front of the Israeli regime, particularly in the northern occupied territories, has driven up food and transportation prices, fueling settler discontent.

According to informed security sources, regime authorities have refused to permit the evacuation of settlers from northern areas, despite deteriorating security conditions amid Hezbollah’s unstoppable retaliatory strikes.

Rising costs of essential goods, including food and transportation, have intensified pressure on settlers, contributing to a growing wave of anti-regime protests.

Discussions across Israeli social media platforms reflect increasing skepticism toward official narratives regarding developments in the north.

Users have questioned regime claims on the extent of damage and casualties, asserting that actual losses far exceed what is being reported.

Some posts also emphasize that the regime’s defensive capabilities in the region have significantly degraded, while Hezbollah has effectively rendered life unsustainable for settlers in northern areas.

Meanwhile, emerging reports suggest that regime authorities are deliberately avoiding a full evacuation of settlers from the north, even as security conditions worsen amid intense exchanges of fire.

Analysts attribute this decision to deep concerns that, once evacuated, settlers may refuse to return – a scenario that would deliver a severe blow to the regime’s long-term strategic position in the area.

According to sources, military forces have been deployed to forcibly prevent settlers from leaving, underscoring the regime’s determination to project an appearance of normalcy even as conditions on the ground tell a different story.

Hezbollah has carried out a record number of retaliatory operations against the occupied territories, sowing fear among the settler population in the north.

Yet the regime remains intent on portraying normalcy across the occupied territories while concealing the true scale of casualties and damage sustained from retaliatory strikes, both from Hezbollah and the Iranian armed forces.

March 30, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Growing insecurity, soaring prices fuel protests in north as regime bans evacuation: Sources

Iran denies responsibility for ‘depraved’ attack on Kuwait desalination plant

The Cradle | March 30, 2026

The Iranian military denied on 30 March the recent attack, which hit a desalination plant in Kuwait, labeling the strike a US-Israeli false-flag operation aimed at “destabilizing and destroying the region.”

“The brutal aggression by the Zionist regime against the desalination facility in Kuwait, carried out in recent hours under the pretext of accusing the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a sign of the vileness and depravity of the Zionist occupiers,” the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian army said in a statement.

“We declare that US bases, personnel, and their interests in the region, as well as the military, security, and economic infrastructure of the Zionist regime in the occupied Palestinian territories, remain powerful targets for us,” it added.

The Iranian military went on to urge “countries of West Asia must remain vigilant against the sedition of the US–Zionist axis aimed at destabilizing and destroying the region.”

Regional states “must put an end to the presence of the criminal US army and occupying Zionists in the region,” it stressed.

The attack on the desalination plant took place on Sunday.

“A service building at a power and water desalination plant was attacked as part of the Iranian aggression against the State of Kuwait, resulting in the death of an Indian worker and significant material damage to the building,” said a spokesperson for the Kuwaiti Electricity Ministry.

This is not the first attack Tehran has labeled a false flag.

Iran has also denied recent strikes on fuel tankers in Oman and a refinery in Iraq’s Erbil, as well as one that targeted an Aramco facility in Saudi Arabia at the start of the month.

US journalist Tucker Carlson reported earlier in March that Mossad agents were detained in Gulf states for planning bombings.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on 15 March that the US has been using its new Lucas drone – modeled after the Iranian Shahed – to carry out false-flag attacks in the region and attribute them to the Islamic Republic.

Tehran has said only US and Israeli-linked military and economic assets in the Gulf will be struck by its forces.

Iran is warning Gulf governments against allowing Washington to use their bases for attacks on the Islamic Republic.

Iranian drone and missile strikes targeted the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on 27 March, wounding at least 12 US troops and damaging aircraft and buildings.

A senior Iranian intelligence official told The Cradle on 26 March that the Islamic Republic is preparing a “strong response” against the UAE due to the “active role” it has played in the US-Israeli war on it.

“A decision has been made at the leadership level to end the weeks-long tolerance toward this country. In addition to US military barracks and bases in the UAE, which were targeted in Iran’s defensive attacks, the Emiratis also provided some of their own air bases to the US to be used in attacking Iran,” the intelligence officials went on to say, citing security reports.

“The UAE is considered a foothold for Israel in the region,” the source continued, adding that Abu Dhabi has “carried out misleading operations against Oman and other countries” – likely a reference to false-flag operations pinned on Iran.

March 30, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, False Flag Terrorism, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , | Comments Off on Iran denies responsibility for ‘depraved’ attack on Kuwait desalination plant

Bring The Troops Back. End This War Now!

By Ron Paul | March 30, 2026

As we begin a new week, the media is filled with reports that President Trump is ready to approve a US ground operation against Iran, either to seize Iran’s uranium or to attack an island off the country’s coast. Thousands of US troops have sped to the conflict area to await President Trump’s decision.

The President is on the verge of making a serious mistake to add to a series of deadly mistakes that have characterized this terrible war of choice against Iran. A US ground operation against Iran would only achieve the death of thousands of US servicemembers.

Of course, if our Congress was doing its job, this debacle would never have started. Clear signals would have been sent to the President by Congressional leadership that in the absence of an imminent attack on the US, the US President must go to Congress to make the case for taking the country to war. Instead, what we got was a shrug of the shoulders from Capitol Hill that has already cost billions of dollars and too many lives.

As we stand on the verge of a major ground operation, the main stated goals of the war are that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon and that the Strait of Hormuz is open for shipping. But both of these things were already true before the war started! Now we are expanding the war to try and reverse the negative consequences of starting the war in the first place!

What was supposed to be a quick “shock and awe” to frighten Iran into capitulation has expanded rapidly and is costing the US dearly. As the New York Times has reported, every US military base in the region has been either destroyed or is severely damaged. Billions of dollars in US military equipment has been destroyed in Iran’s response to the US attack. Just over the weekend, a half-billion dollar US radar aircraft was destroyed at a US base in Saudi Arabia, along with several air tankers.

Iran warned that if the US launched another surprise attack this is how they would respond. The arrogant US Administration was sure they were bluffing.

The American people may not be getting the full picture of this disaster because they are being lied to – again – by the pro-war mainstream media. The war is going wonderfully, they report. We are obliterating Iran, they say. But what is really being obliterated is a complex global supply chain not just in oil and gas, but in the multitude of products related to oil and gas. Products such as the fertilizer needed to feed the world.

Already we are seeing gas riots in some Asian countries. Fuel rationing and stay-at-home orders have been issued. Australia is set to completely run out of diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel in just weeks. That means no food gets delivered. Power generation plants are shut down. Life becomes unlivable for many.

This is like the foolish move to shut down the global economy during COVID. In fact it is worse. This disaster will not end when the bombs stop falling. It will only be getting started. A worldwide depression may be upon us all because of a war of choice that was illegally launched.

When you are in a hole, it’s best to stop digging. Expanding this war to include a ground operation would be a massive digging operation. It needs to stop. Now.

March 30, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Bring The Troops Back. End This War Now!

Iran Red Crescent: 600 educational centers attacked in US-Israeli ‘war crimes’

Press TV – March 30, 2026

Iran’s Red Crescent Society says around 600 educational centers have been targeted during the United States’ and the Israeli regime’s unprovoked aggression against the Islamic Republic since late last month.

Razieh Alishvandi, the body’s deputy for international affairs and humanitarian law, made the remarks on Sunday, warning that such assaults violated the international humanitarian law and constituted war crimes.

The targeted sites included schools, universities, and other educational and academic institutions, she noted, adding that the attacks had endangered the lives of schoolchildren, university students, researchers, and professors, while leading to the martyrdom of many of them.

Alishvandi said the attacks took place despite the clear legal protections accorded to educational institutions under international law. “Any disregard for that protection constitutes a violation of international law and can be regarded as a war crime.”

The attacks also violate the fundamental rules governing armed conflicts, she added.

“Under international principles and rules, these centers must be protected under the Geneva Conventions, and the principles of proportionality, precaution, and distinction must be observed in this regard.”

The Red Crescent Society has so far sent more than 23 letters to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, documenting and reporting violations of humanitarian law throughout the unlawful aggression, including attacks on residential homes, media outlets, airports, passenger aircraft, and medical and educational centers, the official stated.

She added that a separate letter had also been sent to the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, notifying him of the criminal nature of such assaults.

March 30, 2026 Posted by | War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , | Comments Off on Iran Red Crescent: 600 educational centers attacked in US-Israeli ‘war crimes’

America Racing to Strategic Defeat in Iran: Lt Col Daniel Davis

Daniel Davis / Deep Dive

March 30, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Video, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on America Racing to Strategic Defeat in Iran: Lt Col Daniel Davis

Marandi: Yemen joins the war – Red Sea could be blocked next – Saudi regime at risk

Glenn Diesen | March 29, 2026

Seyed Mohammad Marandi discusses the ongoing escalation in the Iran War—and why Yemen’s sudden entry could be a game-changer. Marandi is a professor at Tehran University and a former advisor to Iran’s Nuclear Negotiation Team. (Some of the video is lagging due to the ongoing bombing of Tehran). Recorded 29.03.2026.

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March 29, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Marandi: Yemen joins the war – Red Sea could be blocked next – Saudi regime at risk

Pakistan to Host US-Iran Talks

Sputnik – March 29, 2026

US-Iran talks may take place in Islamabad in the coming days, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said.

All parties have expressed confidence in Pakistan’s mediating role, he added, noting that China “fully supports” the initiative.

Earlier on Sunday, foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt arrived in Pakistan to discuss potential ways to permanently resolve the current conflict in the Persian Gulf.

The ministers also discussed various proposals for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas trade.

The proposals include establishing a management consortium and charging fees, sources say.

Pakistan, which shares a border with Iran, has leveraged its strong ties with both Tehran and Washington to position itself as a key diplomatic channel in the conflict.

March 29, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , , | Comments Off on Pakistan to Host US-Iran Talks

How Indonesia’s tilt toward the US left it stranded in the Strait of Hormuz

People line up for gasoline at a Pertamina’s gas station in Sukoharjo, Central Java, Indonesia, on March 26, 2026. [Agoes Rudianto – Anadolu Agency]
By Bhima Yudhistira and Dr. Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat | MEMO | March 29, 2026

In today’s fractured geopolitical landscape, energy flows are no longer governed by markets alone. They are shaped—often decisively—by politics. Nowhere is this clearer than in the unfolding crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, where Indonesia finds itself on the wrong side of a strategic divide.

As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Iran has adopted a selective approach to maritime access through the strait, one of the world’s most vital energy chokepoints. Rather than a blanket closure, Tehran has opted for a calibrated policy: friendly nations may pass; others must wait.

The consequences for Indonesia are immediate and stark. While countries like Malaysia, Thailand, China, India and Russia have secured safe passage for their tankers, two Indonesian vessels remain stranded. This is not a logistical hiccup. It is a geopolitical signal.

Iran’s own officials have made the logic explicit. Access is granted based on diplomatic alignment and strategic trust. Nations perceived as cooperative—or at least non-hostile—are accommodated. Others are left navigating uncertainty.

Indonesia, it appears, has misread the moment.

For decades, Jakarta prided itself on a doctrine of “free and active” foreign policy—non-aligned, pragmatic and flexible. That posture allowed Indonesia to engage multiple power centers without becoming entangled in their rivalries. But recent policy choices suggest a drift away from that equilibrium.

By signing the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the United States and joining the Board of Peace (BoP), Indonesia has moved beyond nominal non-alignment into visible proximity to the US orbit.

The ART is not merely a trade deal; it reshapes tariffs, supply chains and regulatory frameworks in ways that bind Indonesia more closely to U.S.-led economic and security systems.  Meanwhile, the decision to join the BoP—widely criticized at home as a strategic misstep—signals alignment with Washington’s Middle East posture, particularly in the context of Gaza.

In Tehran’s eyes, these moves blur the line between cooperation and alignment. In a conflict environment defined by binary loyalties, even economic agreements and diplomatic platforms are read as strategic signals. In that context, perception is policy.

The cost of that perception is now measurable.

First, energy security. The Strait of Hormuz handles a significant share of global oil shipments, and disruptions there ripple across supply chains worldwide. If Indonesian tankers cannot pass freely, the country must source crude and liquefied petroleum gas from alternative routes—longer, riskier and far more expensive.

Shipping costs rise. Insurance premiums spike. Subsidy burdens swell. In a country where energy prices are politically sensitive, the fiscal implications are profound. What begins as a diplomatic miscalculation quickly becomes a budgetary strain.

Second, competitiveness. Malaysia and Thailand, having secured passage, are better positioned to maintain stable energy inputs and export flows. Their manufacturing sectors—already integrated into global supply chains—gain an advantage over Indonesia’s.

This is not just about oil. It is about the broader architecture of trade. Delays in energy supply affect production timelines. Disruptions in shipping lanes threaten exports of automotive components, industrial goods and commodities. In a tightly coupled global economy, reliability is currency—and Indonesia risks devaluation.

Third, macroeconomic stability. Higher import costs feed directly into inflation. A widening subsidy bill pressures public finances. And as external balances deteriorate, the rupiah faces renewed volatility. These are not abstract risks; they are the building blocks of economic stress.

All of this stems from a single, uncomfortable reality: geopolitics has overtaken economics.

Iran’s policy in the Strait of Hormuz underscores a broader shift in global order. Strategic chokepoints are no longer neutral spaces. They are instruments of leverage. Access is conditional. Neutrality, if not actively maintained, is easily questioned.

Indonesia’s response so far—continued negotiation and diplomatic outreach—may yet yield results. But negotiation from a position of ambiguity is inherently difficult. Other countries have secured passage not merely through dialogue, but through clear, consistent alignment in the eyes of Tehran.

Jakarta must therefore confront a difficult question: can it afford its current trajectory?

Recalibrating foreign policy does not mean abandoning partnerships or retreating into isolation. It means restoring balance. Indonesia’s strength has always been its ability to engage across divides—to be trusted by competing blocs precisely because it was not seen as belonging to any of them.

That credibility now needs rebuilding.

The immediate priority is practical: secure the release and passage of Indonesian vessels, stabilize energy supply and prevent further economic fallout. But the longer-term task is strategic. Indonesia must reassess its positioning in a world where neutrality is no longer assumed, but demonstrated.

The Strait of Hormuz crisis is a warning. It reveals how quickly global alignments can translate into tangible costs—and how vulnerable even large economies can be when geopolitical signals are misread.

For Indonesia, the lesson is clear. In an era of weaponized interdependence, foreign policy is no longer a distant abstraction. It is an economic imperative.

And getting it wrong is no longer affordable.

March 29, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How Indonesia’s tilt toward the US left it stranded in the Strait of Hormuz

US has no choice but to retreat from Iranian borders: Top commander

Press TV – March 29, 2026

A senior Iranian military commander says the armed forces’ crushing strikes against US military assets will leave Washington with no choice but to withdraw its forces from Iran’s borders.

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Mousavi, said in a post on X that Iranian forces will continue to paralyze US radar networks and logistics while inflicting casualties on their personnel across the region.

“Iran’s intelligence superiority and precision strikes will leave the US with no alternative but to retreat from Iranian borders,” Mousavi said.

The commander noted that “the wreckage of AWACS, aerial refuelers, and demolished hangars speaks for itself.”

Mousavi also vowed that the country’s armed forces will soon add “more high-value targets to this list.”

US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering “limited ground operations” on Iranian soil. Iranian officials have warned that such a move will only lead to further casualties among American troops.

Iranian armed forces have launched 86 waves of retaliatory strikes against Israeli and US assets across the region, causing casualties and billions of dollars in damages.

Notably, a US Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was struck and damaged during a March 27 missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, this specific attack also injured more than 10 service members and damaged several aerial refueling tankers.

Military analysts describe the loss of these “flying radars” as a “big deal” that has significantly crippled Washington’s ability to manage the battlespace in the Persian Gulf.

Beyond the AWACS and tankers, Iran’s attacks have damaged or destroyed radar systems, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system and Reaper drones in attacks on US bases in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait.

Reports have also suggested that the US and its regional allies are “burning through” their supply of Tomahawk and interceptor missiles.

Since the war began on February 28, the Pentagon has already confirmed at least 13 US troops killed and roughly 200 wounded.

March 29, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on US has no choice but to retreat from Iranian borders: Top commander

Iran Retaliation Strikes Chemical Plant Near Dimona

By Kurt Nimmo | Another Day in the Empire | March 29, 2026

On March 28, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, condemned Israel’s attack on key Iranian infrastructure, including steel factories, a power plant, and civilian nuclear sites. He described the attacks as a serious escalation and vowed Iran would respond. “Iran will exact a heavy price for Israeli crimes,” he warned.

That heavy price arrived the following day. Israel’s Home Front Command said sirens were sounding in the Negev Desert, Dimona, Be’era, Arad, and Ashkelon. Ne’ot Hovav, formerly Ramat Hovav, an industrial zone (in occupied Al-Naqab) southeast of Be’er Sheva, and the site of Israel’s main hazardous waste disposal facility, was targeted. The Voice of Israel reported ten warheads falling in the Negev, while other sources indicate 27 targets were struck.

The zone is home to 19 chemical factories, including Makhteshim Agan, a pesticide plant, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (implicated in the opioid crisis), and Israel Chemicals, a bromine plant. It was reported that a disulfide factory was struck. Molybdenum disulfide is an anti-seize lubricant designed to meet the requirements of military specification. It is not known if the disulfide factory in the Negev produced this disulfide variant.

The Negev Phosphates Chemicals Company, part of the ICL Group, is also located in the Rotem Industrial Zone and situated near the Dimona reactor in Mishor Rotem. It is Israel’s sole recognized nuclear fuel cycle facility. Israel extracts uranium from Negev phosphate deposits. The Rotem complex is a critical node within a broader Israeli-US military-industrial network. In addition to phosphates, the facility produces fertilizers and high-purity phosphoric acid.

The phosphate extracted from the Rotem site is exported to several ICL facilities in the United States. ICL is the sole supplier of white phosphorus to the US military, a substance internationally banned for use in munitions. ICL white phosphorus is used by the occupation army in Gaza and Lebanon to burn people, homes, and agricultural lands.

It is important to note that Site 512, near Kmehin west of Dimona on the Har Qeren mountain, is a secretive US War Department ballistic missile early warning facility operated by the United States Army’s 1st Space Brigade.

The AN/TPY-2 Surveillance Transportable Radar, or Forward Based X-band Transportable, a long-range, high altitude digital antenna array surveillance radar, is located at the site. Iran targeted a similar radar facility at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, and another radar unit in Qatar. “There are strong indications that a number of other similar systems have been destroyed or damaged, as well,” reports the TWZ Newsletter, a website covering military technology.

Initial information provided by the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection indicates there was a leak of dangerous ammonia gas at the Ne’ot Hovav site following the Iranian missile attack. “The situation is rapidly escalating and has reached a dangerous and potentially hazardous level,” reported the Israel Home Front Command, a civil defense operation.

Last week, a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned “all energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure belonging to the United States and the (Israeli) regime in the region will be targeted” in response to President Trump’s warning (since scaled back) the US would hit Iranian power plants, “starting with the biggest one first.”

On March 27, Araghchi posted to X saying Israel had violated Trump’s momentary pause and attacked two of Iran’s largest steel factories. “Attack contradicts POTUS extended deadline for diplomacy,” he said, and added that “Iran will exact HEAVY price for Israeli crimes.” In addition, Israel targeted a uranium processing facility in the central Iranian city of Yazd. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization confirmed the strike, but said there were no casualties or radiation leaks, Aljazeera reported.

The March 29 attack is retaliation for the March 27 strike as Iran, Israel, and the United States continue to escalate a conflict that portends tectonic shocks for the global economy.

March 29, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Iran Retaliation Strikes Chemical Plant Near Dimona