BY TYLER DURDEN
THURSDAY, MAR 26, 2026 – 04:20 PM
Summary
- Iran rejects US plan but says diplomacy continues (indirectly, apparently) – White House, Pentagon reviewing options for ‘final blow’as Trump tells Iranians ‘get serious’ about talks. Hegseth: we’ll "negotiate through bombs". Trump asserts Iran is begging for a deal. Trump extends energy destruction ‘deadline’ to 10 days – oil slides & almost immediately rebounds.
- Trump touts "present" of several tankers allowed by Tehran through Strait, while at the same time warning Tehran of ‘no turning back’ if it doesn’t negotiate. Cabinet meeting hails ‘successes’ while saying war to ‘end soon’, confirms 15-point plan delivered via Pakistanis.
- Iranian hardliners ramp up call to get nuclear weapons, Reuters reports. Israel says it has killed Alireza Tangsiri, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy.
- Iran "laying Traps" & "building up defenses" on Kharg Island; NYT report says 13 US regional bases largely ‘uninhabitable’ in wake of Iran ballistic missile retaliation on Gulf.
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TACO Thursday: Trump Issues New 10 Day Timeline
Another walk-back and extension: the earlier five-day deadline for resumption of US attacks on Iranian energy has now been moved to ten days (it was set to expire Fri/Sat). The following was issued by President Trump late Thursday afternoon on Truth Social:
As per Iranian Government request, please let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time. Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.
Now it’s ten days… but perhaps this at least means the sides are talking(?!), if not indirectly. Or else this is a move to buy more time to put some kind of ground force component in place. Oil slides – then quickly rebounds – on the headlines, as apparently markets aren’t buying it, remaining unchanged:
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