Iran war highlights: Trump warns of strikes on Iran’s power plants: ‘If no deal, we’ll hit every plant’

Iran war news LIVE: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's elite military unit, have reportedly taken de facto control of the Iranian government.

The IRGC has blocked presidential appointments and decisions while drawing a security perimeter around the core of power, effectively sidelining the government from main control, reported Iran International.

Iran war news LIVE: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will deliver a rare national address on Wednesday evening, to likely talk about the government's response to the ongoing war in Iran.

Albanese is scheduled to speak at 7 pm (local time).

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil said Albanese “will be talking about the status of what’s going on in Iran and the plans that the government has to protect the Australian community from the worst.”

Iran war news LIVE: After Iran threatened to attack US companies, including Apple, Microsoft and Google, President Donald Trump on Tuesday wondered what the Iranians have threatened the tech giants with, he asked, "BB guns?"

Interacting with reporters in the White House, Trump was asked by a media person, “Iranian government threatened a bunch of US companies in the region today.”

To this, Trump mockingly said, “With what? What did they threaten them with? BB guns or? They don't have much left to threaten.”

Iran war news LIVE: The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it had identified the launch of a missile from Yemen towards Israel, adding that air defence systems were operating to intercept the threat.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis recently joined the war, launching missiles at Israel in support of Tehran.

However, the group has so far not claimed the responsibility for Wednesday's attack.

Iran war news LIVE: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has reiterated that the crucial oil chokepoint, Strait of Hormuz, is closed only for those countries that are at war with Iran.

"Only for the ships of those who are at war with us, this strait is closed. That is normal during war – we cannot let our enemies use our territorial waters for commerce," he said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

He said that other countries' ships have decided not to use the Strait because of "security concerns, because of high insurance prices, or whatever other reason."

Iran war news LIVE: The European Union's energy commissioner on Tuesday warned that the surging oil and gas prices in Europe as a result of the ongoing Iran war won't return to normal levels anytime soon, even if the conflict is resolved tomorrow.

Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said that whole there are no immediate oil and gas supply shortages in the 27-member bloc, there's pressure on diesel and jet fuel supply as well as "increasing constraints" in global gas markets.

“What I find extremely important is to state as clearly as I can, that even if that peace is here tomorrow, still we will not go back to normal in a foreseeable future,” Jørgensen told a news conference after a meeting of EU energy ministers.

Iran war news LIVE: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi took a swipe at the United States and said in a post on X, "Nothing says "America First" like launching a war for a foreign regime while trying to profit as young soldiers are sent off to die."

"This war of choice is imposed on both Americans and Iranians," he added.

Iran war news LIVE: Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, dismissed the effectiveness of any potential US ground operation targeting the Islamic Republic in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Responding to the reports of a possible US ground operation in Iran, Araghchi said that the Islamic Republic was prepared, dismissing any apprehension on Tehran's part.

"We are waiting for them. I don’t think they’d dare to do such a thing. There will be a lot of strength waiting for them," he said.

"We know very well how to defend ourselves. In a ground war, we can do it even better. We are completely ready to confront any sort of ground attack. We hope they do not make such a mistake," he added.

Iran war news LIVE: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran has "zero" trust in the United States, saying that Tehran does not have any faith that the negotiations with Washington would "yield any results".

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi said that he receives messages from US special envoy Steve Witkoff, noting that it does not mean that Iran and the US are in negotiations.

"There is no truth to the claim of negotiations with any party in Iran," he added.

"We do not have any faith that negotiations with the US will yield any results. The trust level is at zero. We don’t see honesty," the Araghchi said.

Iran war news LIVE: Gold prices edged higher to their highest in nearly two weeks, supported by a weaker dollar as US President Donald Trump said that Iran war could wind within two to three weeks.

Spot gold soared 0.4 per cent, having hit its highest level since March 20. US gold futures for April delivery gained 0.8 per cent.

Iran war news LIVE: The price of commercial LPG cylinder has been hiked by ₹195.5, several reports said on Wednesday amid global concerns of oil supply and a surge in price.

The price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder will now be ₹2,078.50 in Delhi, news agencies reported, citing state oil companies.

Iran war news LIVE: Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and the exchange of threats between the US, Israel and Iran, state media on Wednesday reported strikes across Tehran.

Iran war news LIVE: An American journalist was kidnapped on Tuesday in Baghdad and Iraqi security forces are pursuing her captors, said officials.

The journalist was identified as freelancer Shelly Kittleson. The Iraqi interior ministry said that two cars were involved in the kidnapping, one of which crashed while being pursued near the town of Al-Haswa in Babil province southwest of Baghdad.

Iran US war LIVE updates: Israel said early on Wednesday that it struck a plant supplying Iran's theocracy with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, to allegedly use in a chemical weapons programme.

Iran acknowledged the strike on Tofigh Daru factory. However, it insisted that it only supplied "hospital drugs" used in medical operations.

Iran US war LIVE updates: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that they will target American companies, and not just those working on military bases, in West Asia/Gulf region from April 1, if more Iranian leaders are killed in "targeted assassinations".

The IRGC listed 18 companies in its threat, including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla and Boeing.

"These companies should expect the destruction of their respective units in exchange for each terror act in Iran, starting from 8 pm Tehran time on Wednesday, April 1," the IRGC statement said, as per state media. Tehran's 8 pm means 4:30 pm in GMT/UTC, and 10:30 pm in India (IST).

"We advise the employees of these institutions to immediately leave their workplaces to preserve their lives," it added.

American companies on the IRGC hit list included Dell Technologies, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard or HP, Cisco, Intel, Oracle, Apple, Meta Platforms (which owns Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram), International Business Machines or IBM, JPMorgan Chase, Tesla, General Electric, and Boeing.

Microsoft and Apple, for instance, have corporate offices and significant retail presence in the United Arab Emirates, primarily centered in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Iran US war LIVE updates: After US President Donald Trump suggested that the US forces would end the war and leave Iran within two to three weeks, Japan's Nikkei share average surged nearly 4 per cent on Wednesday.

The Nikkei soared 3.87 per cent, starting April on a strong note after the benchmark recorded its worst month in March since the 2008 global financial crisis.

Iran US war LIVE updates: The Ministry of Interior of Bahrain said on Wednesday that the Civil Defence was extinguishing a fire in the facility of a company as a result of the Iranian aggression, adding that relevant authorities are taking their measures at the site.

Iran US war LIVE updates: Kuwait has stated that Iran-backed drones targeted fuel tanks at the Kuwait airport, the state news agency reported.

Iran US war LIVE updates: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that the United States "is going to have to reexamine" its relationship with NATO once the Iran war ends.

"I think there's no doubt, unfortunately, after this conflict is concluded, we are going to have to reexamine that relationship. We're going to have to reexamine the value of NATO in that alliance for our country," Rubio told Fox News.

Iran US war LIVE updates: Despite being asked to call off the US state visit due to the ongoing war in Iran, King Charles III is going ahead with his trip to the US/

The Buckingham Palace said on Tuesday that King and Queen Camilla would travel to the US in late April to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. Trump put the dates as April 27-30.

Iran US war LIVE updates: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Fox News that there is "potential" for a direct meeting with Iran at some point.

Iran US war LIVE updates: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly said that Washington can see the "finish line" on the Iran war.

He told Fox News, "End to Iran war not today, it's not tomorrow, but its is coming." He also said that no country is doing anything to help Tehran in a way that would be impeding America's mission.

Iran US war LIVE updates: US President Donald Trump lashed out at his allies who have not supported the US enough in the war against Iran, telling them to "go get your own oil". He said that Washington's job was not to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway that is the world's biggest oil chokepoint.

Talking about the ending of the American offensive, the President said that the US "will not have anything to do with" what happens in the Strait that has been closed by Iran.

There's "no reason for us to do this," he said. "That' snot for us. That'll be for France. That'll be for whoever's using the strait," Trump added.

Iran US war LIVE updates: The United Arab Emirates is reportedly preparing to help the US and other allies open the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway crucial for oil transport, by force, reported the Wall Street Journal, citing Arab officials.

Iran US war LIVE updates: A tanker was reportedly hit by a projectile in the Gulf, off the coast of Qatar's Doha, said the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Wednesday.

It said that the incident took place about 17 nautical miles north of Doha.

The UK agency said the projectile caused damage to the hull above the water line, adding that the crew was safe and there was no environmental impact.