Iran vows to keep Hormuz strait blocked as long as war continues
• Energy secretary claims US Navy escorted ship through ‘troubled waters’, later deletes X post
• Araghchi shoots down Trump’s signal for talks, says will fight as long as necessary
• Israel says ‘not done with offensive’ yet; Hegseth claims unleashing ‘most intense strikes’ yet
• US ‘unhappy’ with Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities
• Pakistan continues diplomatic efforts; slams invasion of Lebanon
TEHRAN / WASHINGTON: The US continued to put out more mixed signals on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump told Fox News that it was possible he would be willing to talk with Tehran, while his Pentagon chief vowed to ramp up strikes against Iran, promising “the most intense day of strikes” yet.
Iran’s forces, however, vowed to fight on, declaring that not one litre of oil would be exported from the Gulf while its war with the United States and Israel continues.
The vow came as the US energy secretary claimed, then withdrew a statement saying the navy had escorted commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Chris Wright posted on X that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz “to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets.”
Soon after, he deleted the post for reasons that were unclear, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later denied the report.
A day after Trump claimed the war would be “ended soon” in a bid to calm oil markets, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) also mocked his bid to lessen the economic impact of the war.
“It is we who will determine the end of the war,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by Iranian media.
Iran’s foreign minister also said his country was prepared to continue attacks for as long as necessary and ruled out talks.
Abbas Araghchi told US broadcaster PBS News that his country was prepared to continue missile attacks and that negotiations with the United States were no longer on the agenda.
Israel also warned that Israel’s military offensive against Iran was “not done yet”, saying the operation was degrading Iran’s clerical leadership.
“Our aspiration is to bring the Iranian people to cast off the yoke of tyranny; ultimately, it depends on them. But there is no doubt that with the actions taken so far, we are breaking their bones — and we are not done yet,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
However, according to Axios, the US has asked Israel to halt strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Washington sent the message at a senior political level and to IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.
The Trump administration cited three reasons, including a goal to cooperate with Iran’s oil sector after the war, according to the report.
Other reasons included a fear that such strikes would harm the Iranian public and trigger massive Iranian retaliatory attacks on energy infrastructure across Gulf states, Axios said.
Washington’s top general, meanwhile, said that Iranian forces were not as formidable as the United States had thought.
“I think they’re fighting, and I respect that, but I don’t think they’re more formidable than what we thought,” said General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Meanwhile, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf vowed that Tehran will retaliate to US-Israeli strikes with a “proportionate and immediate” response.
“No malice will go unanswered, and today we decree the rule of ‘an eye for an eye’; bluntly, without exception,” Ghalibaf said on X.
Attacks on Iran
On Tuesday, Al Jazeera reported intense air bombardment in Tehran. The Doha-based news outlet also reported “large explosions” in Karag, north of Tehran and “very intense bombardment in Isfahan that targeted the governor’s office there, and also targeted an ancient royal palace that is registered as a Unesco heritage site”.
The report said there was news of blasts in Tabriz and Isfahan as well.
Meanwhile, the head of Iran’s Education Department in the Lorestan province has said four students were killed in US and Israeli air strikes, adding that 52 schools in the province have also been damaged by the attacks.
Iran’s Mehr news agency also reported a US missile attack on a school in the central city of Khomeyn. It identified the site as Dr Hafez Khomeni School and said a number of residential homes around the building were damaged.
Meanwhile, Iran launched a fresh salvo of missiles at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and US targets in the region, the Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday.
The latest salvo utilised “strategic” missiles, including some of the most powerful in Iran’s arsenal, such as the Fattah, Emad and Khaibar missiles, the IRGC said.
Pakistan urges end to aggression
Islamabad continued diplomatic efforts to secure de-escalation in the region, as Gulf states continued to reel from Iranian blowback.
Pakistan on Tuesday called upon the international community to take “urgent” action against Israeli military aggression in Lebanon, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
In a statement, the FO condemned “Israel’s continued military aggression against Lebanon,” which it said has resulted in the “death of hundreds of civilians and the displacement of nearly half a million people”.
The FO maintained that Israeli actions were in “contravention of international law” and were “undermining the efforts of the government of Lebanon to ensure peace and stability in the country”.
It held that Israel’s recent actions “have the potential to further exacerbate the ongoing security and humanitarian crises in the region”.
FO called on the international community to “take urgent action to end the Israeli military aggression, the indiscriminate targeting of civilians, and the continued violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The statement also called for Israeli withdrawal from “all occupied Lebanese territories immediately, fully, and unconditionally”.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has discussed developments in the Middle East and ongoing deliberations at the United Nations Security Council with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
“DPM/FM shared Pakistan’s perspective, underscoring the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement to support de-escalation and promote peace and stability across the region and beyond,” the Foreign Office says.
In a separate call with Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani, he reiterated Pakistan’s call for de-escalation and dialogue for stability in the Middle East amid escalating conflict in the region.
According to a statement by the FO, Mr Dar spoke with Bahrain’s foreign minister on Monday night, and the two “exchanged views on the developments in the Middle East and the wider region, conveying grave concern over recent attacks, including in Bahrain”.
The FO added that during the call, Mr Dar “reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Bahrain and its people”. He also underscored the need for “de‑escalation, dialogue, and efforts for peace and stability in the region”.
Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2026