Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

Iranian outlets are reporting that Mohammad Bagher Zolghar has been appointed the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), according to an official in Iran's presidential office.

The appointment follows the killing of the previous top security official Ali Larijani on 17 March.

Zolghadr has held numerous senior positions, including IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) deputy commander, deputy interior minister for security affairs, deputy head of the judiciary and secretary of the powerful Expediency Council.

Jonathan Beale
Defence correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Defence officials say the UK, with France, is helping build a coalition of countries to help secure the Strait of Hormuz - "once conditions allow".

The UK has offered to host a security conference on the key channel for global oil shipments in either Portsmouth or London in the near future to develop plans.

Officials say that any mission will require a coalition of Navies to provide reassurance to merchant shipping, but emphasised that any plans to escort tankers would be dictated by the threat - which is currently too high.

Officials say it will require a multinational solution involving crewed and autonomous vessels to help clear a path for safe passage and to deal with the threat of mines.

One defence official says he believes reports that some mines had been laid "to be true", but adds that shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz were still open and being used by a small number of tankers.

Naomi Rainey
Business reporter

With around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas moving through the Strait of Hormuz, markets are quickly reacting to updates on how long the conflict could continue.

US President Donald Trump's weekend threat to hit Iran's infrastructure pushed the benchmark oil price, Brent crude, up to $113 (£84.38) per barrel by Monday. Following his comments about positive talks with Iran, that cost fell back to $97.

Prices continued to move through the day, climbing back to $106 (£79.15) and dropping again, before settling at just $100.

Stock markets have also been shaken by the conflict, with the FTSE 100 down 4.8% in the last five days, while two of Asia's key indices – Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng – are both down more than 3% since last week, despite seeing gains since Monday.

While things are calmer on the markets today, there will likely be more moves as developments continue.

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent, in Doha

A Qatari government spokesman has denied a media report that a proposed US-Iran deal might include closing the giant US-run airbase at Al-Udeid, here in Qatar.

He said if anything, the current crisis will strengthen the existing partnerships that Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council states have, including with the US.

James Waterhouse
Reporting from Tel Aviv

For all of the inconsistencies with America's goals, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being specific: Israel will keep targeting Iran and its ally Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

"We will protect our vital interests under any circumstances," warned Netanyahu in a brief 36-second video. He is not changing course.

Iran is still able to hit back, with one of its latest missiles causing a deep crater in the heart of a residential neighbourhood in Tel Aviv. Officials say it contained 100kg explosives.

Close by, a billboard depicts Donald Trump in front of the Stars and Stripes of the American flag. "Finish the job Mr President!" reads its slogan, in relation to the ongoing war on Iran.

It seems Israel is not planning on letting up, at least.

Lucy Williamson
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Tel Aviv

Around the blast site in north Tel Aviv, balconies have been sheared off, and walls are shedding masonry into the crater between a cluster of residential buildings.

Local reports suggest this was a direct hit from an Iranian missile that narrowly missed several apartment buildings.

One man who lives on the road behind the impact site told us he didn't have time to get to the shelter when the sirens sounded, and had just reached his front door when it was blown open by the blast.

He described fleeing from his apartment in bare feet as glass shattered around him. When he looked back, he said, a fire had already broken out in the debris behind him.

Israel and Iran have continued to strike each other despite Donald Trump apparently offering Tehran fresh talks – spotlighting the unique nature of the conflict between the two Middle Eastern enemies.

This war is now poised between capitulation and escalation, with neither side yet weak enough to make the deal its enemy wants.

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent

Al-Ansari confirms there have been no incoming missiles or drones from Iran aimed at Qatar since last Thursday but says "we are still in the eye of the storm".

"The last time I stood here at this podium immediately [after] I finished there were two attacks," he says, adding that there are still Iranian attacks on "our neighbours here in the Gulf".

He says they "are against any attacks on civilian infrastructure".

"Our posture is defensive. We have had more than 200 drone attacks. We reserve the right to respond. No decision has yet been taken on whether to retaliate. Over 90% of attacks have been intercepted."

Al-Ansari is asked if he believes US President Donald Trump has "correctly characterised the nature of the talks that he says Washington is having with Tehran".

In response, al-Ansari says: "You have to ask those who are involved in the talks.

"As I stated very clearly a minute ago: we are not involved in these talks. Our concern right now and focus is on protecting our country."

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent, in Doha

Qatar foreign ministry spokesman Dr Majid Al-Ansari says Qatar is not involved in any US-Iran efforts to end the war.

He says "our focus is on ending the attacks on our country and defending our territory".

I asked him if Qatar could ever again have normal relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran after these attacks on the Gulf Arab states. His answer was, in effect, yes we can't change geography.

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent, in Doha

We are about to get the first comment and press conference from the Qatari government since talk of a peace deal emerged. We'll keep you posted as the Qatar Foreign Affairs spokesman Dr Majid Al-Ansari speaks.

Large gap between possibility of talks and reality of ending the warpublished at 10:04 GMT 24 March

10:04 GMT 24 March

James Landale
Diplomatic correspondent

In the Middle East, the fog of war is clouding the diplomacy too. Trump says both sides are talking, Iran says they are not.

But a dialogue of sorts does seem to be taking place between intermediaries including Pakistan and Turkey.

There is talk of a possible face-to-face meeting in Islamabad. All this has buoyed markets.

But optimism is not thick on the ground. Mutual trust is all but absent; remember the US has now twice attacked Iran during negotiations. Hostilities continue, even if the US is holding off attacks on Iran’s energy for five days.

US public statements remain erratic and at times contradictory. Both sides view the conflict differently: a war of choice for the US, one of survival for the Iranian regime. Let’s not forget, too, there’s a third belligerent, Israel, with its own agenda.

Yes, the growing economic pain - and pressure from Gulf allies – is being felt in Washington, with Trump looking for a way out of the impasse. But the bar is high for agreement in any talks. How much of its nuclear and missile capabilities would Iran give up?

Is the US ready to lift sanctions on Iran, guarantee no more attacks and even allow Tehran some control over the Strait of Hormuz? The gap between the possibility of talks and a substantive resolution of the conflict remains large.

Image source, Reuters

Iraq's paramilitary, Shia-dominant Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), has said in a statement on its website that 15 of its fighters were killed in a US attack on a site in the west of the country.

A funeral has been taking place in Baghdad for the PMF commander Saad al-Baiji, who it says was killed in the strikes.

The PMF is an umbrella organisation of mostly Shia paramilitary groups, some of which are aligned with Iran. It was formally integrated into Iraq's state security forces.

The strikes targeted the PMF headquarters during a security meeting attended by senior commanders, Reuters reports.

Are US-Iran talks actually happening?published at 09:16 GMT 24 March

09:16 GMT 24 March

Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent

President Trump is hailing "very strong talks" with Iran. So far, there are only signs of a much smaller opening.

Iran remains deeply suspicious of the US. Two previous periods of talks, in February and in June 2025, were both shattered by US-backed Israeli attacks.

There are reports of calls between Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff. But these conversations are described as very preliminary.

Many countries, including Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt, are trying to reduce tension. All three leaders have strong personal ties with Trump and have been actively engaged with Arab leaders during this crisis. Oman, the traditional mediator most trusted by Iran, is also involved.

We live in unpredictable times but reports suggesting that leading Iranian official, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, could soon meet US vice-president JD Vance seem fanciful.

Trump keeps searching for his Iranian version of Venezuela's Delcy Rodriguez – a powerful but pragmatic player whom he can bend to his will.

That won't happen in Iran's multi-layered system of clerics and commanders where hardliners, including Ghalibaf, are now calling the shots and demanding a very big price to end this war.

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

Strikes have started again on Tehran now, according to two sources in the east of the city.

Iranian outlets have also said that air defence has been activated in parts of eastern Tehran.

Image source, EPA

Israel says its air force carried out a "wide wave of airstrikes" on "regime infrastructure" in Tehran on Monday.

It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday night that Israel would continue to strike Iran and Lebanon, after he had a phone call with US President Donald Trump.

"We are crushing the missile programme and the nuclear programme," he said on X, adding: "We will safeguard our vital interests in any scenario."

Trump said earlier on Monday the US would hold off attacking Iran's power plants for a five day period after having "productive" conversations with Tehran.

US Central Command said on Monday evening that America continued to "aggressively strike Iranian military targets with precision munitions".

Doubling down on fossil fuels would be the "absolute wrong lesson" from an energy crisis caused by the Iran war, UK energy minister Michael Shanks tells BBC Breakfast.

"Everything this government is doing is about fighting the corner of households... so we can bring down bills now and in long run," Shanks says.

His comments come hours after the government announced developers will be required to install solar panels and heat pumps in all new homes in England as part of new planning requirements.

Asked whether the government should relax rules on fossil fuel drilling to bring down bills, Shanks says oil and gas in the North Sea is "hugely important" but the future lies in a clean power system "that gets us off this rollercoaster".

Caroline Hawley and Soroush Pakzad

Image source, Supplied

Tehran and other cities have been pummelled by US and Israeli airstrikes for more than three weeks.

The toll on civilians is mounting fast. Most of their stories will never be told. But through the thick, black smoke of war and an internet blackout, small fragments of information are getting out.

Parastesh Dahagain was killed while working in her pharmacy in Tehran after a nearby IT company was struck, according to the Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre.

Video posted online shows a mourning ceremony for Parastesh – framed pictures of her nestled among candles and flowers.

Her brother Poorya wrote on Instagram that his sister was just doing her job.

Another woman, Berivan Molani – a 26-year-old lifestyle blogger who ran an online clothes shop – had returned to Tehran the day before she died, because she was homesick.

Molani was in bed when debris from an air strike struck her head. Several of her neighbours were killed in the Israeli airstrike that targeted Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, said Razieh Janbaz, a friend of Molani.

Night-time footage released by the Iranian Red Crescent shows rescuers removing fallen masonry to try to reach Berivan's trapped mother as she begs to know: "Is my daughter alive?"

• The Iranian civilians killed in the war

Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter

Image source, Getty Images

• There is still confusion over talks between the US and Iran, after US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the countries had "constructive" talks. Iranian officials denied any substantive talks between the two nations, and the White House later said the situation was "fluid"
• On Monday, the BBC's US partner CBS News reported that a senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official told them "we received points from the US through mediators and they are being reviewed"
• Reports suggest that Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff could meet Iranian officials this week in Pakistan. The country says it is happy to host talks should they be required
• The oil price fell after Trump mentioned the prospect of talks, before climbing back to more than $100 a barrel

• On the ground overnight, Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, causing damage to buildings in Tel Aviv and central Israel. In Lebanon, state media reported Israeli strikes on Beirut overnight, and this morning the Israeli military told residents in the south to evacuate as it prepared to target more Hezbollah infrastructure
• UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves will focus on the economic impact today when she updates MPs in the House of Commons on how the situation in the Middle East is affecting the UK. She is expected to set out some principles on how to support people if energy bills spiral in the coming months

Chris Mason
Political editor

Image source, EPA

For UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves there is an economic shock to react to, in real time.

In the House of Commons later, she will focus on the domestic impact of the ongoing situation in the Middle East. I am told there will be three elements to her address to MPs, beginning with a short update on how the war is affecting the economy.

There will also be a section on energy security, with a promise to crack on with delivering new nuclear power stations. What is described as "a new anti-profiteering framework" will be set out too.

Reeves will then talk about the principles that will drive any further support to families if energy bills spiral in the coming months.

Given the energy price cap on gas and electricity is in place until the end of June, ministers have time to work out what might be feasible, affordable and necessary.

Image source, Bahrain MOI/X

Bahrain's Ministry of Interior says its Civil Defence has extinguished a fire at the site of a company, which it does not name, blaming "Iranian aggression".

It comes around six hours after it said on X that sirens had been sounded, as people were warned to shelter in a safe place.