EconoTicker

Iran launched multiple waves of missiles toward Israel after U.S. President Donald Trump delayed a threat to strike Iran’s power grid, saying contacts with Iranian officials had been productive. According to the Israeli military, the attacks set off air raid sirens in several areas, including Tel Aviv, where interception blasts were heard.

In one of the attacks, homes in northern Israel were damaged by falling debris after an interception. Israeli authorities said no deaths were reported, though the incident underscored the continued risk to civilian areas as the conflict remains active.

Source: Reuters

Egypt and Türkiye have emerged as the leading players in efforts to reduce tensions in the region, according to The Associated Press, citing a diplomat from a Persian Gulf country. The diplomat said the two countries appear to have, for now, helped prevent a major energy disaster, especially amid fears that Iranian energy facilities could be targeted, triggering a wider retaliatory response.

The report also said an Egyptian official confirmed that the United States and the Islamic Republic exchanged messages over Saturday and Sunday through Egypt, Türkiye, and Pakistan, pointing to an active but indirect diplomatic channel at a highly sensitive moment. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The claims suggest regional diplomacy is intensifying behind the scenes, with energy security and the risk of broader escalation remaining at the center of mediation efforts.

Source: Associated Press

Iran may be prepared to offer “very large and serious concessions” on its nuclear program, according to a report by Israel’s Channel 12, suggesting that military pressure could be reshaping the diplomatic landscape.

The report, however, also pointed to continued skepticism in Israel. A senior Israeli official told the network that the chances of reaching an agreement remain “very low,” despite signs that Tehran may be softening its position.

The same official said the Islamic Republic’s apparent willingness to step back is a result of military pressure, but added that the steps taken so far are still not sufficient. The comments reflect a gap between reports of possible flexibility from Tehran and Israel’s continued doubt over whether that flexibility can translate into a real deal.

Source: Channel 12 Israel

Switzerland’s M3 money supply rose slightly to 1,216.0B in February from 1,215.2B previously, pointing to stable and marginally improving liquidity conditions. While the increase was modest, the data suggests broad monetary conditions remained firm rather than showing further contraction.

Source: Swiss National Bank (SNB), SNB Data Portal — Monetary aggregates (M1, M2, M3).

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain must prepare for the possibility that the war involving Iran and the broader Middle East conflict could continue for some time, even as efforts remain focused on de-escalation.

Starmer said he had been aware of talks between the United States and the Iranian government, but stressed that policymakers should plan on the basis that the crisis may not end quickly. He added that while there is currently no significant concern over energy supply, the government is moving to prepare for a more prolonged period of regional instability.

Speaking before a parliamentary committee, Starmer said the immediate priority is to reduce tensions as fast as possible, but he also pointed to an emergency meeting with ministers later in the day to prepare for a scenario in which the conflict persists.

He further said the UK is working with its defense industry to send air defense missiles to Gulf partners and rapidly deploy short-range air defense systems to Bahrain, signaling that London is taking concrete steps to reinforce regional security.

Source: Statements by Keir Starmer before a parliamentary committee

A sharp divergence emerged over the prospect of diplomacy with Tehran after Donald Trump said progress was being made in negotiations with the Islamic Republic, while Benjamin Netanyahu adopted a tougher stance against Iran. The contrast highlighted growing tension between public messaging around possible talks and the continued escalation in rhetoric.

At the same time, in its first official response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said there had been no discussions with Washington, directly rejecting the idea that any active diplomatic channel currently exists. The statement reinforces Tehran’s position that, despite outside claims of movement, no formal engagement with the United States is underway.

The conflicting messages point to a highly uncertain diplomatic backdrop, with signals of possible negotiation colliding with public denials and intensifying political language from all sides.

Source: Statements by Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Iran’s Foreign Ministry

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said no negotiations have been held with the United States, reinforcing Tehran’s public rejection of diplomacy under current wartime conditions. In a post on X, Ghalibaf said the Iranian people seek the full and regret-inducing punishment of the aggressors.

He added that all state officials are standing firmly behind the country’s leadership and the public until that objective is achieved. The remarks point to a continued hardline posture from Iran’s political establishment, with no visible sign of an official diplomatic opening toward Washington at this stage.

Source: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on X

The Israeli military said two missiles allegedly launched by Iranian forces toward Israel overnight landed inside Lebanese territory, highlighting the risk that the conflict could spill further across borders.

In its statement, the Israeli army also accused Hezbollah of acting in line with the interests of the Iranian government rather than defending Lebanon, arguing that the group’s involvement in the fighting is putting Lebanese civilians and residents at greater risk.

The statement said the incident shows how broader regional hostilities can carry direct consequences for the people of Lebanon, as cross-border military activity raises the danger of wider instability.

Source: Israeli military statement

Tehran said it has held no negotiations or direct talks with the United States in recent weeks, according to remarks by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Monday.

Baghaei said Iran had instead received messages in recent days through what he described as friendly countries, conveying Washington’s request for talks aimed at ending the war. He added that those messages had been answered in a manner consistent with Iran’s “principled positions.”

He also warned against any attack on Iran’s vital infrastructure, saying Tehran had made clear that any action targeting the country’s energy infrastructure would be met with a decisive, immediate, and effective response by Iran’s armed forces.

The spokesperson further stressed that the Islamic Republic’s position on the Strait of Hormuz and on the conditions for ending the war has not changed, signaling continued firmness in Tehran’s official stance despite reported backchannel messaging.

Source: Statements by Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry

Russia says it is closely watching what it calls “contradictory statements” about possible negotiations with Iran. According to TASS, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow is monitoring the situation and hopes developments around Iran will soon return to a peaceful track.

The comment comes as messaging around diplomacy has become increasingly mixed. Reuters reported that Donald Trump said the United States had already held talks with Iran and found “major points of agreement,” while Iranian-linked reporting has pushed back on the idea that formal negotiations are underway.

Source: TASS; Reuters.

According to i24NEWS, negotiations are advancing for a meeting in Islamabad this week between senior American and Iranian officials, citing a source familiar with the matter. The report points to a possible shift from indirect messaging toward a more defined diplomatic channel at a moment when military pressure remains high.

What is independently confirmed is narrower: Reuters reported on March 23 that President Donald Trump said the United States had already held talks with Iran and found “major points of agreement,” while Pakistan was identified as one of the countries involved in mediation efforts. Reuters did not publicly confirm Islamabad as the venue for a meeting in the reports reviewed.

Source: i24NEWS; Reuters.

A possible new diplomatic channel between Washington and Tehran appears to be taking shape, with Reuters reporting that President Donald Trump said the United States had already held talks with Iran on Sunday, March 22, and that the discussions would continue on Monday, March 23. Trump said envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were involved and described the contacts as having “major points of agreement,” signaling that diplomacy is now running in parallel with the military confrontation. Reuters also reported that Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan have been involved in mediation contacts around the crisis.

That leaves room for speculation that a more formal meeting could follow soon, but the exact venue and timing have not been publicly confirmed in the Reuters reports reviewed. What is confirmed is that the U.S. has paused planned strikes on Iranian power plants for five days while talks continue, underscoring that the diplomatic track is being treated as a serious near-term option.

Source: Reuters.