Trump demands Iran ‘surrender,’ says he’s hearing new leader ‘not alive’

The United Arab Emirates said its air defense systems were intercepting missiles and drones from Iran amid ongoing regional tensions.

The country's Ministry of Defense said the sounds heard in some areas are from the air defense systems intercepting Iranian missiles and drones.

"The UAE's air defenses are currently dealing with missile attacks and incoming drones originating from Iran, and the Ministry of Defense confirms that the sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of the air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, as well as fighter jets intercepting drones and loitering munitions," the UAE's Ministry of Defense said on X.

Executives of major U.S. oil companies warned Trump administration officials that the energy disruptions sparked by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran are likely to become worse.

The CEOs of Exxon, Chevron and ConocoPhillips warned in several meetings at the White House last week and in recent conversations with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that the disruption to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz would continue to create unpredictability in global energy markets, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi on Sunday accused Israel of violating international law and said the Jewish State "must be punished for its war crimes."

"Israel's bombings of fuel depots in Tehran violate international law and constitute ecocide," Aragchi wrote on X.

Aragchi said residents face long-term damage to their health and well-being and that contamination of soil and groundwater could have "generational impacts."

"Israel must be punished for its war crimes," he wrote.

The price of U.S. crude oil has exceeded $100 per barrel as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran continues to disrupt shipping and production in the Middle East.

West Texas Intermediate, produced in the U.S., was selling for about $101.02 a barrel on Sunday shortly after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, or 2.3% more than its close on Friday of $98.71.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at $106.39 on Sunday, which is 2.4% more than its close on Friday.

The price for both West Texas Intermediate and Brent has spiked more than 40% since the start of the war that began late last month.

This comes as the Strait of Hormuz, which one-fifth of global oil exports normally pass through, remains closed.

The Associated Press contributed tot his report.

Japan started releasing oil reserves worth about 45 days amid concerns about supply shortages and rising prices as the U.S.-Israel war against Iran continues.

The release on Monday began with 15 days worth of private-sector reserves, followed by 30 days worth of state-held oil for a total of about 80 million barrels, which makes up about one-fifth of the country's domestic oil reserves.

Japan imports more than 90% of its crude oil from the Middle East.

Most of that oil comes through the Strait of Hormuz, and its closure due to the war is expected to begin impacting Japan's oil supply within weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Flights were temporarily suspended on Monday at Dubai International Airport after a drone struck a fuel tank, which led to a fire, according to authorities.

Crews later contained the fire, the Dubai Media Office said.

No injuries were reported in connection with the fire.

The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority said the move to suspend flights was taken as a precaution.

Passengers are urged to avoid going to the airport.

This comes as Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones toward Persian Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets — including strikes toward the United Arab Emirates — since the U.S. and Israel launched the war in the Middle East late last month.

UAE authorities said most of these strikes have been intercepted by air defenses, although debris and some drones have fallen inside the country.

Iranian officials have accused the UAE of allowing its territory to be used for attacks against Iran, but UAE officials have denied the accusation as misleading, arguing the country’s military actions have been defensive.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A retired U.S. Navy SEAL said Iran’s strategy of escalating regional pressure during conflicts is nothing new, arguing it has been the regime’s “playbook” for decades.

During an appearance on “Fox News Live” on Sunday, retired U.S. Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille said Tehran has long relied on economic and regional disruption when facing military pressure.

“It's been in their playbook for four decades,” Sarraille said. “So both the Trump administration and the War Department understood this. Because the pressure lever that Iran, especially when the homeland is under attack, goes to is the economic pressure lever of the Strait of Hormuz or regional economic soft targets like we're seeing them strike in the Gulf states.”

Sarraille said the strategy is aimed at increasing the consequences of conflict beyond the battlefield.

“Ultimately, what are they trying to achieve here? It's the only playbook they have, or the only legitimate play they have left, is to raise the cost of the war both regionally and globally,” Sarraille said. “… If we collectively, as a coalition, can maintain the pressure on Iran and ultimately a regime change happens, we are going to see a completely different Middle East.”

President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran’s military has been “decimated,” claiming the U.S. has wiped out the country’s air defenses and severely weakened its forces.

Asked whether he was ready to officially declare victory against Iran, Trump said he was not declaring it over yet but argued the damage to Tehran’s military has been significant.

“There's no reason to,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “I think I'd just say they're decimated. … If we left right now, it would take them ten years and more to rebuild. But I'm still not declaring it over.”

Trump said U.S. operations have “taken out” Iran’s air force and air defense systems, leaving the country with “no air defense whatsoever,” and argued Iran’s missile and drone capabilities have also been sharply reduced.

Trump added that the U.S. and Israel have “similar objectives” regarding Iran and that the two countries’ militaries are “very well coordinated.”

President Donald Trump accused Iran on Sunday of using artificial intelligence (AI) and media manipulation to spread "fake" reports about U.S. military losses, claiming fabricated images and videos are being circulated to make Tehran appear stronger than it is.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump said Iran is pushing AI-generated content — including fake footage of “kamikaze boats” attacking ships and false images of damaged U.S. assets — while feeding the material to what he called the “Fake News Media.”

Trump also dismissed reports that five U.S. refueling planes were struck and denied claims that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier had been hit, saying the stories were “fake news."

“The fact is, Iran is being decimated, and the only battles they “win” are those that they create through AI, and are distributed by Corrupt Media Outlets,” Trump said.

The president also praised Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr for reviewing the broadcast licenses of certain news organizations he accused of spreading false information. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi claimed on Sunday, on "Face the Nation," that President Donald Trump launched attacks against Iran "because it is fun," accusing the United States of starting what he called an "illegal war" during an interview with CBS host Margaret Brennan.

"We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes," Aragchi said. "There are people being killed only because President Trump wants to have fun... they are sinking ships and targeting different places because it is fun."

The comments came as the war between the United States and Iran continues to escalate, with the Trump administration signaling the conflict could continue longer than initially anticipated. 

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's CJ Womack.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday he spoke with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian and urged him to immediately end what he described as “unacceptable attacks” carried out by Iran across the region.

"I have just spoken with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian. I called on him to put an immediate end to the unacceptable attacks Iran is carrying out against countries in the region, whether directly or through proxies, including in Lebanon and Iraq," Macron said. 

Macron said he made clear that France is operating under a “strictly defensive framework” to protect its interests, regional partners and freedom of navigation, adding that it is unacceptable for France to be targeted.

He warned that escalating tensions are pushing the region toward chaos with potentially lasting consequences.

“The people of Iran, like those across the region, are paying the price," Macron said. “Only a new political and security framework can ensure peace and security for all. Such a framework must guarantee that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, while also addressing the threats posed by its ballistic missile [program] and its destabilizing activities regionally and internationally.”

Macron also said that freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz must be restored “as soon as possible.”

“I also urged the Iranian President to allow Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris to return safely to France as soon as possible," Macron said. "Their ordeal has gone on for far too long, and they belong with their loved ones.”

President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly spoke Sunday about the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the leaders discussed the importance of restoring access to the key shipping route, warning that the disruption is pushing up costs around the world, according to The Times of Israel.

“The leaders discussed the ongoing situation in the Middle East and the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to end the disruption to global shipping, which is driving up costs worldwide,” the spokesperson said.

The strategic waterway has effectively been blocked by Iran as the conflict continues to escalate.

During the conversation, Starmer also expressed condolences for the American service personnel who have died in the conflict.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire in the war involving Iran, delivering his strongest remarks yet on the conflict and urging leaders responsible for the fighting to halt violence after deadly strikes that hit schools and civilian areas.

The Associated Press reported the pope made the remarks at the end of his Sunday noon blessing at the Vatican, where he appealed to leaders involved in the conflict to halt the fighting and pursue dialogue instead of continued military escalation.

"On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict," Leo said. "Cease fire so that avenues for dialogue may be reopened. Violence can never lead to the justice, stability, and peace that the people are waiting for."

Leo did not cite the U.S. or Israel by name, though he appeared to reference an attack in the opening days of the war that struck a school in Iran and killed more than 165 people, many of them children.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner.

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said Saturday he is ready to lead Iran’s transition "as soon as the Islamic Republic falls." 

As the war in Iran entered its third week, Pahlavi — the son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — said he has been working in recent months to develop a transition plan should the Iranian regime collapse to ensure the country does not experience a disruption in governance. 

Pahlavi said in a social media post that "capable individuals" have been identified both inside and outside Iran to lead what he called a "transitional system." 

"The transitional system, under my leadership, will be ready to assume governance of the country as soon as the Islamic Republic falls and, in the shortest possible time, establish order, security, freedom and the conditions for Iran’s prosperity and flourishing," he said. 

Pahlavi has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic. 

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz.

Republicans sharply criticized former President Joe Biden over rising prices at the gas pump, but a spike in energy prices amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict in Iran threatens to scramble the party's affordability messaging. 

The Iran conflict has led to a surge in gas prices for Americans, leading to an average 50 cents a gallon increase since Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28. 

The average price of gas reached $3.63 per gallon on Friday, according to AAA. Diesel prices have also risen to $4.89 per gallon. The increases have been mostly fueled by volatility in oil prices, which closed above $100 per barrel Thursday for the first time since 2022 as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shuttered from the conflict. 

The president characterized the gas price hike amid the Iran conflict as "a very small price to pay" in a Truth Social post Sunday. 

The surge in gas and diesel prices threatens to undermine the economic message of President Trump and congressional Republicans, who have touted low gas prices as a major win in the lead-up to November’s midterm elections. Cost of living issues are expected to be a key concern among voters as both parties claim to be laser-focused on making everyday life more affordable. 

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Adam Pack.

An Iranian expert on Sunday blasted pro-regime demonstrations in Western cities as “hypocritical,” arguing that activists protesting in support of Tehran are ignoring the regime’s violent crackdown on its own people.

During an appearance on “Fox Report Weekend,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies analyst Janatan Sayeh discussed the next phase of the Iran conflict and global protests backing the regime.

Sayeh criticized pro-Iran demonstrations in Western cities, saying many activists were silent when the regime killed tens of thousands of unarmed protesters earlier this year.

"Not only is it disheartening, it's actually hypocritical,” he said. “... When the war in Gaza was going on, we heard nonstop campaigns and protests, but once the regime was killing 40,000 unarmed Iranians in January, there was radio silence from these entities. So that is really, I think it sends the wrong message to Iranians.”

Iran’s paramilitary forces, particularly the Basij militia, continue to serve as instruments of the state to suppress dissent and detain protesters, according to Sayeh.

“The Basij and other paramilitary forces have been crucial instruments of brutalizing Iranians for the past half a century, and that has been one of the main achievements of this conflict — degrading the regime's repression capabilities, taking out these sites, centers, facilities that detain and kill protesters," Sayeh said. 

Iranian authorities say they have arrested dozens of people accused of spying for Israel across several provinces, according to state media reports over the weekend.

Fars, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported Sunday the West Azerbaijan prosecutor’s office had arrested 20 individuals in the northwestern city of Urmia for allegedly providing Israel with information about military, police and security sites.

On Saturday, Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence said it had arrested several "enemy operatives" across the country, including a 10-member group in Mazandaran province and another 10-member network in Khorasan Razavi province, according to Tasnim, a semi-official news agency. 

Authorities said the suspects transferred the locations of military installations and economic infrastructure and shared coordinates of public places, academic institutions and research centers with Israel.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan.

The Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen for “limited movement of people” beginning Wednesday, March 18, according to the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).

COGAT said the move follows a security assessment and review of conditions needed to resume operations at the crossing, which has been largely closed since May 2024.

“The decision was made following a security assessment and an examination of the conditions enabling the resumption of operations at the crossing, while maintaining the necessary security restrictions in light of the security situation and the threats in the area,” COGAT wrote on X.

Officials said travel through the crossing will be coordinated with Egypt and supervised by a European Union mission, with prior Israeli security approval required.

"In addition, further screening and identification procedures will be conducted at the ‘Regavim’ route, operated by the defense establishment in the area under IDF control, as part of the required security arrangements,” COGAT wrote.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that countries relying on oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz should help keep the vital shipping route open amid the Iran conflict, according to Israel’s Channel 14.

“In keeping the Strait open — yes. They get all the oil. We don’t get anything from the strait, so they should participate," Trump told Channel 14. "The countries that get the oil, should keep the strait open, not the US. We will help them a lot.״ 

Trump was also asked whether another Israeli leader could have achieved what he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accomplished together ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.

“No, I don’t think so,” Trump told Channel 14.