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14:40

Iran-US Contacts Likely Ongoing Despite Public Denials, Says Analyst

Speaking toCurrent Time, political analyst Anton Penkovskysaidcontacts between Iran and the United States are likely continuing despite public denials by Tehran.

"Despite the fact that Iran denies the existence of any contacts with the American side and claims that negotiations are conducted through intermediaries, I think it is obvious to everyone that contacts do exist in one form or another," he said. "Iran is pursuing this information strategy purely for domestic political reasons, so as not to appear weak to its internal audience, especially given that social tensions in Iran remain quite high."

He said talks appear deadlocked over several core issues:

"Even if the parties have agreed on a large number of points, the main problems remain in three areas. The first is the scope of restrictions on Irans nuclear program, including the dismantling of Irans nuclear infrastructure and the transfer of all nuclear materials to the United States -- a position on which the United States has insisted and, apparently, is not willing to make concessions or compromises. For Iran, this is a matter of sovereignty and strategic deterrence against its enemies in the region."

"The second issue is the missile program and support for allied groups -- proxy forces in the Middle East -- which primarily pose a threat, and which are, in essence, Irans main instrument of influence in the region. For the Iranian authorities, it would be very painful to give up these tools."

"The third point concerns sanctions and security guarantees, which Iran is now bargaining for itself. Iran is seeking the complete lifting of sanctions, but the United States will clearly not agree to this until the very end, until it is fully satisfied with Iran's actions, since sanctions pressure has been one of the main long-term levers of pressure on the Iranian authorities. It is precisely around these issues that negotiations in recent weeks have, by and large, reached a deadlock. One could even say that the decision to carry out strikes and begin military actions was made by the White House because Iran refused to make concessions on the issues listed, at the end of February."

On proposals to shift responsibility for security in the Strait of Hormuz to US allies, Penkovsky said:

"This idea appears quite logical from Washingtons point of view if they want to bring this conflict to a close relatively quickly. However, in practice, it would be a very difficult task, primarily from the standpoint of military infrastructure, since it would entail the need for demining, escorting oil tankers, and protection against direct Iranian or proxy attacks."

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14:33

Energy Markets Could Take Months To Stabilize After War Ends, Expert Says

WASHINGTON -- Even if hostilities with Iran were to stop immediately, global energy markets will take a long time to recover, Mark P. Mills, executive director of the National Center for Energy Analytics, told RFE/RL.

Speaking during a briefing hosted by the State Department New York Foreign Press Center on March 30, Mills -- who served in the White House Science Office under President Ronald Reagan -- said markets would react quickly to an end in fighting but take longer to return to stability.

"Prices will relax immediatelybut the trail to the equilibrium we had before is probably at least six months -- that might be a year. We're certainly into months, not weeks," he said.

Mills said the current crisis underscores a deeper structural reality: The global economy remains tightly bound to oil. Despite years of investment aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuels, global oil consumption has remained largely unchanged on a per capita basis since 2000.

"Every product and service is linked to oil," he said, noting that as much as 95 percent of global transportation still depends on it. Even rapid growth in electric vehicles has made only a marginal dent in overall demand.

The conflict has also revived concerns about supply vulnerabilities, particularly in key chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. In response, countries are already rerouting shipments, tapping strategic reserves, and even reverting to coal in some regions to ease pressure on oil and gas markets.

According to Mills, these emergency measures could buy the world "two to three months" before more severe shortages emerge if disruptions persist.

Beyond the immediate crisis, the longer-term impact may reshape global energy strategy. Governments and investors are increasingly likely to prioritize diversifying oil supply sources -- boosting production in regions such as the United States, South America, and Africa -- to reduce reliance on geopolitically sensitive areas, he said.

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14:01

Trump Tells Countries To 'Go Get Your Own Oil!'

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has told countries who refused to help the United States unblock the Strait of Hormuz and are now dealing with jet fuel shortages to buy American oil or go to the strategic transit route "and just take it."

In asocial media poston March 31, the US leader chided countries such as the United Kingdom for "refusing to get involved" in the US-Israeli campaign in Iran.

"Youll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. wont be there to help you anymore, just like you werent there for us," he said. "Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!"

Many countries, including close US allies such as Canada, the UK, Germany, and Japan, rejected taking part in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, though some said they could be part of such an operation once the war with Iran ends.

In aseparate post, Trump targeted France specifically, criticizing it for not allowing planes loaded with military supplies and bound for Israel, to fly over French territory. "The USA will REMEMBER," he wrote.

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13:35

Israeli Military Ready To Continue Operations Against Iran For 'Weeks'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

The Israeli military said it is prepared for several more weeks of fighting with Iran, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war had passed "definitely beyond the halfway point,"

Netanyahu told Newsmax that this referred to progress in military objectives rather than time, and did not provide a time frame.

Military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said the duration of the conflict would be decided by political leaders, but that Israel was "prepared to keep operating for weeks to come."

"We have the targets for that, the munition for that, the manpower for that," he added.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also suggested on March 30 that the war could last "weeks" further.

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12:13

Iran Said It Opened A Drone Factory In Tajikistan. But There's No Sign Of It.

Iran's then-military chief, Mohammad Baqeri (center left), and then-Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo (center right) attend the opening ceremony of an alleged Iranian drone factory in Tajikistan on May 17, 2022.

Nearly four years after Iran unveiled a drone factory in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, its operations -- and even its existence -- remain shrouded in uncertainty. Experts and officials question whether the facility ever produced drones or served more as a symbolic gesture of Iranian military influence.

Read the report by Zamira Eshanova and RFE/RL's Tajik Servicehere.

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11:54

Huge Explosions In Isfahan As US Targets Iranian Munitions Depot

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  RFE/RL

Huge explosions and fires lit up the night sky in the Iranian city of Isfahan which is home to the Badr military air base. The US reportedly used a large number of bunker-busting bombs overnight on March 30-31, with US President Donald Trump sharing video of explosions on his Truth Social platform.