By Hotgist9ja News Desk | Breaking News | International
Photo Credit: Punch Newspaper
Monday March 23 will go down as the most dramatic single day since this war began on February 28.
In the space of twelve extraordinary hours, the world moved from the edge of a catastrophic new escalation — with Trump's 48-hour ultimatum to Iran expiring and power plant strikes apparently imminent — to something that looked, for a brief moment, like the beginning of the end of the conflict.
Then Iran called it all fake news. And Netanyahu kept bombing.
This is what actually happened — and what it means for the world.
How The Day Started — Trump Blinks On Power Plant Strikes
Monday began with the world holding its breath. Trump's 48-hour ultimatum — issued Saturday night demanding Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its power plants — was expiring. Markets were plunging. Oil was at $112 a barrel. US Marines were heading to the Middle East. The region was braced for the worst.
Then Trump posted on Truth Social — in all capitals, as is his style — and everything changed:
"BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WHICH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS."
— President Donald Trump, Truth Social post
Trump claimed the US and Iran had held "very good and productive conversations" over the past two days focused on ending hostilities. He went further — claiming Iran had agreed to not pursue nuclear weapons, to reduce uranium enrichment, to hand over existing stockpiles and — most critically — to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"They want to make a deal. We want to make a deal too," Trump told reporters at West Palm Beach airport. "If this happens it is a great start for Iran to build itself back."
Markets immediately erupted. US stocks surged nearly 2%. Oil prices tumbled sharply. For a brief, dizzying moment — it looked like peace might actually be possible.
Iran's Response — "Fake News. No Negotiations. None."
Tehran was having none of it.
Within hours of Trump's announcement, Iranian officials came out one after another to deny everything — with a bluntness and unanimity that left no room for interpretation.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — the man Axios had identified as Trump's secret interlocutor — posted directly on X:
"No negotiations have been held with the US. Fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped."
— Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iranian Parliament Speaker, on X
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei was equally categorical, telling state media IRNA:
"Messages have been received from some friendly countries regarding the US's request for negotiations, but no negotiations have been held with the US."
— Esmaeil Baghaei, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, via IRNA
A senior Iranian security official went even further, describing Trump's claims as "psychological warfare" and insisting that "there are no negotiations and there is no negotiation" — adding that such statements would not alter conditions in the Strait of Hormuz or stabilise global energy markets.
Senior Iranian military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Mohsen Rezaei, had his own explosive take — claiming in a televised speech that the war was effectively already over more than a week ago, and that the US was ready to stop, but Netanyahu "pushed to continue."
"After Day 15, the US clearly understood that there was no path to victory in this war."
— Mohsen Rezaei, Senior Military Adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei
Trump's response to the Iranian denial was characteristically unconventional — he suggested the contradiction was simply the result of "miscommunication within the Iranian leadership."
Netanyahu Speaks — "We Continue To Strike Both In Iran And Lebanon"
While Trump and Tehran were trading contradictory claims about secret talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in a video statement that made Israel's position crystal clear.
Netanyahu said he had spoken with Trump and acknowledged that the US president believed military gains could be leveraged into a negotiated agreement. But Israel's position on the fighting itself was unmistakable:
"President Trump believes there is a chance to leverage the tremendous achievements of the IDF and the US military in order to realise the war's objectives in an agreement — an agreement that will safeguard our vital interests. At the same time, we continue to strike both in Iran and in Lebanon."
— Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, video statement
Netanyahu went further — claiming Israel had recently eliminated two Iranian nuclear scientists and suggesting more targeted operations were coming:
"We are pounding the missile programme and the nuclear programme, and we continue to deal heavy blows to Hezbollah. Just a few days ago, we eliminated two more nuclear scientists — and more actions are expected. We will safeguard our vital interests under any circumstances."
— Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The Israeli military followed words with action — announcing new strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut on Monday and a wide-scale wave of strikes on Iranian infrastructure in Tehran. The IDF also said it had struck one of the IRGC's main headquarters alongside several military buildings in the Iranian capital.
The Trump Diplomatic Pause — Five Days To Make History
Despite Iran's denials and Israel's continued strikes, the pause on power plant attacks has created what analysts are calling a "five-day diplomatic window" — a brief period in which back-channel negotiations can continue, regional mediators can push for de-escalation and both sides can test whether a framework for ending the conflict is achievable.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed he had spoken with Trump over the weekend about the risks of attacking Iranian power infrastructure:
"I am grateful that he said today that he is postponing them for another five days and is now also opening the possibility for immediate and direct contact with the Iranian leadership."
— German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking to reporters in Berlin
US Vice President JD Vance also spoke with Netanyahu by phone on Monday — discussing the components of a possible agreement to end the war, according to a source familiar with the conversation.
Axios, citing an unnamed Israeli official, identified Trump's Iranian interlocutor as Ghalibaf — a former IRGC general, former mayor of Tehran and close associate of new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Despite Ghalibaf's public denial, Israeli officials are reportedly assessing that Iranian leaders may privately be amenable to a deal.
According to Channel 12 in Israel, Netanyahu received regular updates over the preceding 24 hours regarding contacts between Washington and Tehran — and Israeli officials believe Iran's opening negotiating positions include: halting its ballistic missile programme for five years, reducing uranium enrichment and entering discussions over its enriched uranium stockpile.
The Expert Analysis — Is A Deal Actually Possible?
Abdullah Banndar Al Etaibi, an assistant professor at Qatar University, offered a measured assessment to Al Jazeera:
"Regional governments are cautiously encouraged by President Trump's claims that negotiations with Iran are progressing, but remain wary of the political maneuvering on both sides. Washington and Tehran are each trying to ensure they have the upper hand, making any breakthrough fragile. Israel remains the most skeptical actor — if it is excluded from any agreement, the conflict could drag on indefinitely."
— Abdullah Banndar Al Etaibi, Assistant Professor, Qatar University, speaking to Al Jazeera
Hassan Ahmadian, a professor at the University of Tehran, suggested Trump's claims of talks could serve a specific domestic purpose:
"Trump could be using the prospect of talks as a way to backtrack from his 48-hour ultimatum to strike Iran's energy infrastructure, which would have further escalated the war."
— Hassan Ahmadian, Professor, University of Tehran, speaking to Al Jazeera
International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol issued a stark warning about what continued conflict means for the global economy:
"The global economy is facing a major, major threat today, and I very much hope that this issue will be resolved as soon as possible. If the war is protracted, daily oil losses would pave the way for a crisis worse than the combined impact of both 1970s oil shocks and Russia's invasion of Ukraine."
— Fatih Birol, IEA Chief, speaking in Australia
Meanwhile — The War Continues On The Ground
While diplomats talked and markets swung, the guns did not stop.
Explosions were reported in Bahrain — the first to be heard in the Gulf since Trump announced the talks. The US Embassy in Muscat, Oman issued a shelter-in-place warning for all Americans in the country due to "ongoing activity." The Israeli army announced strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut's southern suburbs. IDF forces also reportedly captured two Hezbollah members in south Lebanon after they surrendered.
In Tehran, a residential building was struck in a US-Israeli attack, with firefighters photographed hosing down smouldering rubble. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy claimed his military intelligence had "irrefutable" evidence that Russia was providing intelligence support to Iran — describing Russian signals intelligence sharing with Tehran as something that "can only prolong the war."
The IRGC spokesperson who had been cited in state media was reported killed in overnight Israeli strikes. The war — diplomatic window notwithstanding — was showing no signs of slowing down on the ground.
What This Means For Nigeria And The World
For Nigeria — already reeling from four fuel price hikes in March as we reported in our coverage of Dangote's N1,245 per litre price — Monday's developments brought mixed signals. Oil prices fell sharply on the news of talks — Brent crude tumbling from its $112 peak as markets reacted to the diplomatic pause. A sustained drop in oil prices would ease pressure on Nigeria's downstream sector, potentially slowing or reversing the fuel price spiral that has squeezed Nigerian households all month.
But as President Tinubu himself warned at his Eid gathering — as we reported in our story on Tinubu's inflation warning — the Middle East crisis has already embedded inflationary pressure into Nigeria's economy that will not disappear overnight, regardless of what happens in the Strait of Hormuz this week.
The Bottom Line — Where We Are Tonight
As of Monday evening, the situation can be summarised as follows:
- Trump has paused power plant strikes for five days — creating a diplomatic window
- Iran publicly denies any talks with the US have taken place
- Netanyahu has acknowledged the possibility of a deal — but Israel keeps striking
- Oil prices have fallen on talk of negotiations — but remain elevated
- Missiles are still being fired. Buildings are still being struck. People are still dying
- The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed
Whether Monday's dramatic developments represent the beginning of the end of this war — or simply another chapter in its terrifying unpredictability — nobody can say with certainty tonight.
What is certain is that Hotgist9ja will be here, monitoring every development, bringing you the verified truth as it emerges. 🦅🇳🇬
In Pidgin — As Naija People Dey See Am
Naija, this Monday na the most drama-filled day since this war start.
Trump wake up and say him don dey talk with Iran. Say dem don agree say Iran go reopen Strait of Hormuz, stop nuclear program, hand over uranium. Oil prices fall. Stock markets jump. People begin dey breathe small small.
Then Iran come out and say — we never talk to America. No negotiation. Nothing. Na fake news. The parliament speaker talk am directly on Twitter. The foreign ministry back am up. A senior security official call am "psychological warfare."
Meanwhile Netanyahu enter video and say — yes, Trump believe say deal possible. But we dey still bomb Iran and Lebanon. We don kill two nuclear scientists. More actions dey come.
So which one be the truth? Na that question wey the whole world dey try answer tonight.
What we know for sure: guns still dey fire, buildings still dey fall, people still dey die, and the Strait of Hormuz still dey closed. Whether Trump's five-day diplomatic pause go produce real peace or just buy time — we go know soon.
Stay with Hotgist9ja. We go bring you every verified update as e happen. 🦅🇳🇬
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Sources: Punch, CNN, Al Jazeera, Axios, France 24, Times of Israel, Newsweek, CBS News, AFP, Reuters