NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to ELEVEN-plus reports, commentaries, analyses, interviews, summaries, and an advsory (well over 20): from Consortium News, ScheerPost, the Grayzone, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Middle East Eye, the Cradle, Kyoto News, Middle East Monitor, CBS News, and Anadolu Ajansi (20 or so); others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-20-26.) — MCM

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, the Cradle, Kyoto News, and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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ADVISORY  Watch: The World This Week – w/Ray McGovern, at 8 p.m. EDT. Joe Lauria of Consortium News talks with ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern about (among other things) a U.S.-Israel split on hitting energy targets; President Trump’s see-saw on pulling out or sending in ground forces, while calling NATO “cowards”; and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and what the intel says. Click HERE at or shortly after 8 p.m. EDT to livestream talk, or for subsequent video.

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How the war against Iran could end U.S. hegemony in the Gulf, by Fabian Scheidler | ScheerPost  History shows that airstrikes alone do not usually lead to victory, let alone the overthrow of governments. On the contrary . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 20  Trump White House plagiarized Iran war manifesto from Israel-aligned think tank, by Wyatt Reed and Max Blumenthal | The Grayzone  The Trump Administration appeared to plagiarize its official justification for its war on Iran, copying almost word-for-word a document originally produced by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a pro-war think tank with close ties to Israeli intelligence. READ MORE . . .

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Israel threatens a surge in attacks as Iran fires missiles farther than ever, by Samy Magdy and Sam Mednick | AP  CAIRO — Israel’s defense minister threatened a surge in attacks against Iran  today and Britain condemned Iran for targeting a joint U.K.-U.S. base in the Indian Ocean as the war in the Middle East entered its fourth week. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE for some of other recent Iran war-related  AP reports.

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The Iran war after three weeks. Reported by Emily Feng, Scott Simon and Eric McDaniel | NPR  Heavy airstrikes overnight in Tehran as President Trump says he’s considering winding down military operations. Click HERE to listen and, later, read; and HERE and HERE for all nine or more reports from NPR via “Weekend Edition Saturday” and yesterday’s “All Things Considered.”

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Pezeshkian: Iran is not seeking conflict with neighboring states and other Muslim countries. From Middle East Eye. “To Islamic countries and our dear neighbours: you are our brothers and we are not engaged in any conflict with you,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a statement on X. “The only beneficiary of our disagreements is the Zionist entity.” READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report in French from Anadolu / Anadolu.

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Iran will not accept ceasefire that repeats ‘past scenarios’: FM. From the Cradle. Iran says it is seeking a complete, comprehensive, and lasting end to the war while offering to facilitate the safe passage of Japanese vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to remarks by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Kyodo News on 21 March. Click HERE for other recent Iran war-related reports from the Cradle.  Click HERE for report from Kyoto News.

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Trump administration making detailed preparations for ground troops in Iran: report. From Middle East Monitor. Word from Washington comes one day after President Donald Trump told reporters at a news conference, “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere,” but added, “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.” READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from CBS News.

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FROM MARCH 20  Trump says he doesn’t want ceasefire in Iran, by Rabia Iclal Turan | Anadolu  WASHINGTON — “I don’t want to do a ceasefire,” U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday. “You know, you don’t do a ceasefire when you’re literally obliterating the other side.” READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

First, links to NINE-plus reports, commentaries, analyses, interviews and summaries (25 or so): from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, the Cradle, Consortium News, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-19-26.) — MCM

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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Global oil and energy prices are reeling as the war in the Middle East escalates. Reported by Carrie Kahn and Steve Inskeep | NPR  Israel and Iran continue to exchange airstrikes with a focus on energy infrastructure. President Trump says Israel acted alone in striking a key gas field and better not do it again. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for links to all nine Iran war-related reports today on NPR‘s “Morning Edition.”

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Seven U.S. allies endorse Hormuz ‘coalition,’ offer ‘no commitment’ for military action. From the Cradle. The UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada issued a joint statement on 20 March in support of a potential “coalition” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while specifying “no commitment” to a concrete military role. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for several other Iran war-related reports from the Cradle.

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Days 19 & 20: War on Iran, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News  The past two days of the aggression against Iran has exposed a significant split between the master, Israel, and its more powerful servant, the United States. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 19  Israel is rapidly killing Iran’s leaders. Experts warn the strategy could backfire, by Sam Metz | AP  As a strategy, targeted killing has rarely been employed against a state. While it may provide tangible achievements that leaders can brand as victories it rarely addresses the underlying grievances that propel conflicts. Click HERE to read, and HERE for links to other Iran war-related AP reports.

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FROM MARCH 19  As the Iran war continues, what are the potential off-ramps for Trump? Reported by Ailsa Chang, Connor Donevan and Tinbete Ermyas  |  NPR  The Trump administration says the Iran war will end when the president decides. Thomas Wright of the Brookings Institution argues that’s easier said than done. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for links to at least four Iran war-related reports Thursday on NPR’s “All Things Considered” program.

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Tit-for-tat strikes on energy assets gift Iran another tactical lever, by Sean Mathews | Middle East Eye  The U.S. “clumsy” handling of attacks on Iran’s energy assets has handed Tehran a lever of escalation dominance in a rapidly spiraling war, according to two Arab officials. “First . . . READ MORE . . .

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The U.S.-Israeli strategy against Iran is failing, by Sami Al-Arian | Middle East Eye  The aggression launched by the United States and Israel against Iran has produced a striking strategic paradox. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

NOTE : Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to FIFTEEN-plus reports, commentaries, analyses, interviews and summaries (more than 20): from Reuters, the Cradle, Middle East Eye, France-Presse, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, El País, and Consortium News; others or just headlines are accessible by clicking on their names as highlighted. (Scroll down for Iran 3-18-26.) — MCM

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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NEWER  U.S.-Israeli war with Iran causes major oil, gas disruptions, by Ahmad Ghaddar, Stephanie Kelly and Nerijus Adomaitis | Reuters  LONDON / OSLO  — The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and Tehran’s attacks on Gulf neighbours have damaged major energy facilities and brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — which handles about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows — close to a halt. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for March 18 report from the Cradle.

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FROM MARCH 18  U.S.-Israeli war on Iran ‘unjustified and unlawful’: French ambassador to Oman, by David Hearst | Middle East Eye  France believes the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran is unjustified and unlawful, the French ambassador to Oman, Nabil Hajlaoui, has told Middle East Eye in an exclusive interview. Click HERE for report including video of interview on the David Hearst Podcast.

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Iran again threatens to destroy region’s energy facilities if own attacked. From AFP. Iran’s military renewed threats on Thursday to destroy the region’s energy infrastructure were its facilities to be attacked again during the U.S.-Israel war with the Islamic Republic. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AFP report in French, and HERE for others.

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FROM MARCH 18  Strikes hit world’s largest natural gas field in Iran; Tehran retaliates with more attacks, by Jon Gambrell, Sam Metz and Julie Watson | AP  DUBAI — Iran broadened its strikes on major energy facilities in the Middle East, eliciting strong warnings today from Gulf Arab states that called it a dangerous escalation that threatened to draw them into direct combat with Tehran. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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What did President Trump know about Iran before going to war? Steve Inskeep | NPR  speaks with Nate Swanson, former director for Iran at the National Security Council, about what President Trump understood about Iran before going to war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for all seven Iran war-related reports today on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

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FROM MARCH 18  U.S. weighs military reinforcements as Iran war enters possible new phase, by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Erin Banco and Gram Slattery | Reuters  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s administration is considering deploying thousands of U.S. troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East, as the U.S. military prepares for possible next steps in its campaign against Iran, said a U.S. official and three people familiar with the matter. READ MORE . . .

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The EU is preparing to slam the door on Trump and cling to multilateralism, by María R. Sahuquillo, Silvia Ayuso and Manuel V. Gómez | El País  BRUSSELS — Faced with the international disorder created by Donald Trump, the European Union is clinging to multilateralism. The 27 EU countries agree that . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same El País report in Spanish, and HERE and HERE for others.

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FROM MARCH 18  Pedro Sánchez’s ‘No a la Guerra,’ by Patrick Lawrence
 | Special to Consortium News  Sánchez, Spain’s Socialist primer ministro since June 2018, has distinguished himself and his nation these past few years by taking strong stands against the Zionist terror regime’s genocide in Gaza, against the West’s support of it, against wasteful defense budgets and more recently against the U.S.–Israeli war of aggression against Iran. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 18  Saudi Arabia hosts Arab, Islamic officials as U.S. war pushes region to the brink. From the Cradle. Saudi Arabia was hosting a consultative meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss regional security coordination and stability s the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran destabilizes West Asia. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 18  Iran hits Qatar refinery, targets Saudi Arabia, after huge gas field struck, by Parisa Hafezi, Rami Ayyub and Maya Gebeily | Reuters  DUBAI / JERUSALEM / BEIRUT — Iran’s huge Pars gas field was hit on Wednesday in a major escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war that sent oil prices shooting higher, and Tehran struck Qatar and fired missiles ‌at Saudi Arabia after vowing attacks on oil and gas targets throughout the Gulf. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 18  Tracing recent events that led Netanyahu to launch the war against Iran. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  A chain of events in recent years led Israel and the U.S. to do what they had hesitated to do for decades: launch all-out war against Iran. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for links to all five or so Iran war-related reports Wednesday on NPR’s “All Things Considered” program.

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FROM MARCH 18  Days 17 & 18: War on Iran, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News  A pragmatic Iranian leader who took part in nuclear negotiations with the U.S. and who was a philosopher specializing in Immanuel Kant  was murdered Tuesday by Israel in an airstrike as he was visiting his daughter in Pardis, a city east of Tehran. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 18  U.S. intelligence chief admits Iran ‘made no effort’ to rebuild nuclear program after 12-day war. From the Cradle. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard admitted to lawmakers during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in Washington that there had been “no efforts” by Iran to rebuild its nuclear enrichment capability following joint US-Israeli strikes in June 2025. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from  Middle East Eye.

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to SEVENTEEN-plus reports, commentaries, analyses and interviews (two dozen?): from the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, Agence France-Presse, Reuters, the Cradle, ScheerPost, Geopolitical Economy Report, National Public Radio, Common Dreams, MintPress News via Consortium News, and Breaking Points; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for 3-17-26.)

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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Trump’s failed strong-arming of allies on Iran shows that pressure is losing its effect, by John Leicester and Emma Burrows | AP  PARIS — We’ve long had your back, now it’s our turn. That is how the famously transactional U.S. President Donald Trump is framing his demands that allies help him with the Iran war. He wants to call in IOUs for decades of U.S. security guarantees. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Iran tells Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE to evacuate energy facilities after Israel hits gas plant, by Alex MacDonald | Middle East Eye  Iran has issued an order to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE to evacuate their petrochemical facilities, implying an impending attack. The warning, issued from state media, comes shortly after a U.S.–Israeli attack on the South Pars gas field in Iran. READ MORE . . .

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Israel, U.S. hit Iranian facility at major Gulf gas field: Iranian state media.  From AFP. “Moments ago, parts of the gas facilities located in the South Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in Asaluyeh were struck by projectiles fired by the American-Zionist enemy,” Iranian state television reported. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for similar report in French from Connaissance des Énergies with AFP, and HERE and HERE for headlines of others in English and French from AFP / AFP. Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib killed, Israel defense minister says. Edited by Bridget Brown, Lorian Belanger, Brian P.D. Hannon and Menelaos Hadjicostis | AP  Israel’s defense minister said today that the Israeli military killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. Israel Katz made the announcement. Khatib’s killing follows Israel’s killing of top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from NPR, and HERE for other Iran war-related AP reports.  Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye.

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IRGC launches ‘revenge strikes’ on Israel after assassination of Ali Larijani.  From the Cradle. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced early today a series of retaliatory missile strikes on Israel, launched shortly after Tehran confirmed the assassination of Supreme National Security Council chief Ali Larijani. READ MORE . . .

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The Strait, the dollar and the limits of empire, by Joshua Scheer of ScheerPost and Ben Norton of Geopolitical Economy Report. What is unfolding around Iran is not simply another regional . . . Click HERE for text of Scheer article and video of Norton analysis from a day or three ago.

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FROM MARCH 17  Iran launches barrage of missiles after Israel kills 2 of its top officials, by Jon Gambrell, Julie Watson and Samy Magdy | AP  DUBAI — Israel killed two senior Iranian security officials in a major blow to the Islamic Republic’s leadership as it faces its greatest test in decades, and Iran responded today with renewed missile and drone attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel. Click HERE for rest of report and several photos. Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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With strikes above and crackdowns on the ground, Iranians describe life under siege. Reported by Arezou Rezvani and Steve Inskeep | NPR  A state-imposed internet blackout has obscured the reality of life in Iran as the war rages on. Those fleeing through neighboring countries share a rare glimpse of what life is like in Iran. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for all four of Iran war-related reports today on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

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FROM MARCH 17  USS Ford heads to Greek port days after fire that raged for over 30 hours: report. From the Cradle. Washington’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, is returning from the Red Sea to the Greek island of Crete for refueling, and to probe the recent fire which erupted on board the ship days ago, Greek media reported on Tuesday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 17  Netanyahu shows off kill list ‘punch card’ to a fawning Mike Huckabee, by Brad Reed | Common Dreams  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday posted a video of himself showing off what he said was a list of kill targets to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 17  Iran made ‘unexpectedly substantial’ offer during Geneva talks, U.S. envoys ‘dragged’ Trump into war: report. From the Cradle. UK National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell attended the final U.S,–Iran talks in Geneva last month and concluded that a deal was in reach, The Guardian reported on Tuesday, citing sources as saying that Washington’s leading envoys were acting as “Israeli assets” who “dragged” the U.S. into war. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 16  Iran’s Larijani calls on Muslim world to confront ‘Great Satan.’ From the Cradle. Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued a six-point statement on Monday addressed to Muslims and Islamic governments across the world, accusing regional states of failing to support Iran during the US-Israeli war and urging them to reconsider their political alignment. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 17  Five steps to end the Trump-Netanyahu war, by Jeffrey Sachs and Sybil Fares | Common Dreams / Consortium News  The conflict is likely to spiral out of control because the U.S. and Israel are dead set on hegemony in the Arab world and West Asia – one that combines Israeli territorial expansion with American-backed regime control across the region. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 17  A crack in U.S. war machine & a slap in Trump’s face, by Ramzy Baroud | MintPress News / Consortium News  Joe Kent’s resignation is not an anomaly but an alarm: elite dissent is surfacing early because this war is built on deception. Kent’s resignation is shocking, but not for the obvious reason. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 17  Diesen: U.S. hegemonic world order is over. Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti of Breaking Points talk with analyst Glenn Diesen of the Glenn Diesen Show about developments in the Iran war and what he sees as its effects worldwide. Click HERE for video of interview.

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FROM MARCH 16  Mojtaba’s message to Trump: ‘Bring it on!’ by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  There is an English proverb, “The darkest hours are just before the dawn.” Maybe, hope should linger on that the cruel, senseless bombing of Iran by the U.S. and Israel is leading to what strategists call the ‘endgame.’ READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to SIXTEEN-plus reports, commentaries, analyses and interviews (around 30?): from Breaking Points / ScheerPost, the Associated Press, Agence France-Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Consortium News, and TomDispatch via CN; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-16-26.) — MCM

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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Washington’s public swagger meets private panic over Iran. From Breaking Points and ScheerPost. The White House is denying that special envoy Steve Witkoff sent back-channel messages to Iranian officials during the current war—but the denial itself is beginning to look like another chapter in Washington’s increasingly frantic damage control. Click HERE for video of interview and ScheerPost print intro.

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Ali Larijani, believed to be running Iran since the beginning of the war, is killed in a strike. From AP. DUBAI — Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official and a conservative force within Iran’s theocracy, was killed in an Israeli strike, Iranian authorities confirmed Tuesday. He was 67. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from NPR, and HERE for all five or so Iran war-related NPR reports from this evening’s “All Things Considered” program. 

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Top U.S. counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Iraq war. From AP. The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, has announced his resignation, saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war in Iran. Click HERE to read, and HERE and HERE for links to who knows how many Iran war-related reports from AP. Click HERE for commentary from ScheerPost.

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U.S. does ‘not need’ allies’s help on Iran, Trump says. From AFP. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump, whose call for assistance from allies to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic has largely been rebuffed, said today that U.S. forces “no longer need” military help in the Iran war. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for a version of same AFP report in French, and HERE for others. Click HERE for later AP report, and HERE and HERE for same report and others in Spanish.

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Israel rejects de-escalation offers; Israel says it has killed Iranian security chief, by Parisa Hafezi, Jana Choukeir and Maayan Lubell | Reuters  Israel claimed today to have killed Iran’s security chief, while a senior Iranian ​official said the new supreme leader had rejected de-escalation offers conveyed by intermediaries, demanding Israel and the U.S. first be “brought to their knees.” READ MORE . . .

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Israel says it killed 2 top Iranian officials in wartime blow to country’s leadership, by Jon Gambrell, David Rising, Mike Corder and Samy Magdy | AP  DUBAI — Israel said Tuesday it killed two senior Iranian security officials in overnight strikes in a major blow to the country’s leadership. Iran, which did not immediately confirm either death, fired new salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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How NATO countries are reacting to Trump’s request for help with the Strait of Hormuz. A Martínez of NPR asks Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund of the United States how NATO regards President Trump’s request for help to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for links to all eight Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

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FROM MARCH 16  Israeli military says missiles from Iran heading towards Israel. From AFP. Israel’s military said on Tuesday that missiles launched from Iran were heading towards its territory, calling on people in affected areas to head to shelters.  READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AFP brief report in French, and HERE for headlines of others.

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FROM MARCH 16  EU rejects Trump’s request to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Reported by Teri Schultz and Ailsa Chang | NPR  The European Union has rejected President Trump’s request to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying the war is “not theirs.” Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for all three Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “All Things Considered” program.

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FROM MARCH 16  Iran, at UN, insists will not submit to ‘lawless aggression.’ From AFP. Iran vowed at the United Nations on Monday that it would not submit to “lawless aggression,” and said its citizens were in “grave danger” from U.S. and Israeli strikes. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 16  Trump upset as U.S. partners reject call for Hormuz warship escorts. From Reuters. Several U.S. allies rebuffed Donald Trump’s call on Monday to send warships to escort tankers through ‌the Strait of Hormuz, drawing criticism from the U.S. President, who accused Western partners of ingratitude after decades of support. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 15  Watch: ‘The view from Tehran.’ Joe Lauria of Consortium News talks again, somehow, with Sayed Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran on Sunday on the war as he is experiencing it in Iran’s capital city — or elsewhere. Click HERE for Lauria’s print introduction and their talk. 

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FROM MARCH 15  Imperial decline in the Strait of Hormuz, by Alfred McCoy | TomDispatch / Consortium News  In the first chapter of his 1874 novel The Gilded Age, Mark Twain offered a telling observation about the connection between past and present. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to ELEVEN-plus reports (14 or more): from the Associated Press, Anadolu Ajansi, CNBC, Reuters, the Cradle, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, and CBS News, and to an article of commentary from Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-15-26.) — MCM

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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Israel steps up campaign in Lebanon, as Iran keeps stranglehold on shipping, by David Rising, Bassem Mroue and Samy Magdy | AP  BEIRUT — The war in the Middle East raged on multiple fronts today, as the U.S. and Israel pummeled military targets in Iran’s capital, Israel stepped up its campaign against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Iran retaliated with a drone strike that temporarily shut Dubai’s airport, a crucial hub for travelers. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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U.S. allows Iranian oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz to maintain global supply: Treasury secretary, by Yasin Gungor | Anadolu  ISTANBUL — The U.S. is allowing Iranian oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz in order to maintain global oil supplies, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said today in Paris. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same Anadolu report in French, and HERE for others. Click HERE for report from CNBC.

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Israel says it has plans for three weeks of war as airstrikes pound Iran. From Reuters. In a briefing today, Israeli military spokesperson Lieutentant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters there are detailed operational plans for the war with Iran in place for the next three weeks, along with additional plans extending further ahead. READ MORE . . .

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Fears of a global energy crisis rise as Iran keeps stranglehold on shipping and hits Dubai airport, by David Rising, Sally Abou and Will Weisert | AP  BEIRUT — The war in the Middle East rages on, with more U.S.-Israeli strikes today on Tehran, Iran’s capital and Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon. An Iranian drone strike temporarily shut Dubai’s airport, a crucial global travel hub, underscoring the threats to the world economy. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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‘Not our war’: Trump’s naval coalition to reopen Strait of Hormuz dead in the water. From the Cradle. Several countries have either rejected or expressed serious concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to form a coalition aimed at escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has closed to Washington and its allies in retaliation for the brutal U.S.-Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for reports from AFP / AFP in English and French.

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Iran blocks vital oil route as Israel expands its ground operations in Lebanon. Reported by Daniel Estrin and A Martínez | NPR  As the war in Iran enters its third week, there’s no end in sight. Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route, as Trump urges allies to act and Israel expands its ground operations.  Click HERE to listen and, later, read; and HERE for all four Iran war-related reports from NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

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FROM MARCH 15  Iranian foreign minister says ‘we don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans,’ by Kaia Hubbard | CBS News  “We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday  on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” As the war entered its third week, President Trump has claimed in recent days that Iran wants to reach a deal. Click HERE for report including video of interview.

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FROM MARCH 15  An Iranian-American writer describes the ‘vertigo’ he feels about the war. Reported by Adrian Ma, Daniel Ofman, Michael Levitt and William Troop | NPR  Ma speaks about the war with Iranian-American writer Nick Mafi, who says many Iranians in the U.S. feel a sense of vertigo. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM MARCH 13  U.S.-Iran conflict turns into prolonged attrition, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline   “The will of the people,” Iran’s new Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, stated on Thursday, “is is to continue effective defence.” In sharp contrast with President Trump’s style . . . READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Links to SIXTEEN-plus reports, commentaries, analyses and interviews (at least 20): from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, the Cradle, Middle East Eye, MintPress News, Consortium News, CGTN America, VRIC Media and Substack; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-14-26.)

Gulf Arab states intercept new missiles and drones as Iran threatens to widen the war, by Sam Metz, Samy Magdy and Julia Frankel | AP   CAIRO — Gulf Arab states reported new missile and drone attacks today after Iran threatened to widen its campaign and called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates as the war in the Middle East, now in its third week, expands further. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Trump is threatening to bomb oil facilities on Iran’s Kharg Island. Ayesha Rascoe of NPR speaks with Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, professor of Economics at Virginia Tech, about the potential impact of a strike on oil facilities on Iran’s Kharg Island. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for all five or so Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “Weekend Edition” this morning.

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Israel  ‘running low’ on ballistic missile interceptors: report. From the Cradle. Israel informed the US this week that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors, as Israel’s long-range defense system comes under strain from Iran’s attacks, Semafor reported today, citing U.S. officials. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  President Trump orders a Marine rapid response force to Middle East. Jane Arraf of NPR spoke from the city of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, on developments in the war in the Middle East. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM MARCH 14  Tehran claims the U.S. attacked it from the UAE as Iran war enters its third week, by Jon Gambrell, Sam Mednick, Konstantin Toropin and Samy Magdy | AP DUBAI — Iran urged people Saturday to evacuate the Middle East’s busiest port and two others in the United Arab Emirates, openly threatening a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets for the first time as its war with the United States and Israel entered a third week. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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U.S., Israel using Shahed-inspired LUCAS drone for ‘false flags’ across region: Iran FM. From the Cradle. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today the U.S. has been using its new Lucas drone — modeled after the Iranian Shahed — to carry out false flag attacks in the region and attribute them to the Islamic Republic. READ MORE . . .

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Iran denies responsibility for drone attacks on Iraqi oil refinery and elsewhere. From Middle East Eye. Iran denied responsibility for a drone attack on the Lanaz oil refinery in Iraq’s Kurdish region, Iranian media reported, citing an informed security source. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  Iran mulls allowing tankers through Strait of Hormuz if trade conducted in yuan: report. From the Cradle. Iran is considering allowing a “limited number” of oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on the condition that the oil cargo is traded in Chinese yuan, CNN reported on Saturday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 13  EU states seek ‘talks’ with Iran for access to Strait of Hormuz: report. From the Cradle. European countries have been reaching out to Iran for negotiations to allow their vessels to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz, informed sources told the Financial Times. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  U.S. Embassy in Baghdad again urges Americans to leave Iraq as Trump touts strikes on Iran. From NPR. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad once more renewed a call for Americans to leave Iraq, after a drone strike hit the embassy compound in the capital’s heavily guarded Green Zone. Also on Saturday President Trump asserted that the U.S. military had “destroyed 100% of Iran’s Military capability,” and that . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  Iranians grapple with whether to flee the country because of the war, by Sam McNeil and Serra Yedikardes | AP  KAPIKOY BORDER CROSSING, Turkey — Some of the 3.2 million people the UN refugee agency estimates have been displaced are seeking shelter in safer parts of Iran or one of its neighboring countries; others are returning from abroad, heading toward the fighting to protect their families and homes. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 14  Tehran claims the U.S. attacked it from the UAE as Iran war enters its third week, by Jon Gambrell, Sam Mednick, Konstantin Toropin and Samy Magdy | AP DUBAI — Iran urged people Saturday to evacuate the Middle East’s busiest port and two others in the United Arab Emirates, openly threatening a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets for the first time as its war with the United States and Israel entered a third week. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM MARCH 14  U.S. Embassy in Baghdad again urges Americans to leave Iraq as Trump touts strikes on Iran. From NPR. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad once more renewed a call for Americans to leave Iraq, after a drone strike hit the embassy compound in the capital’s heavily guarded Green Zone. Also on Saturday President Trump asserted that the U.S. military had “destroyed 100% of Iran’s Military capability,” and that . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. energy producers earning ‘billions’ amid rising oil prices due to war on Iran: report. From the Cradle. U.S. oil companies are expected to receive a windfall of more than $60bn this year if crude prices remain high in response to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, the Financial Times reported today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 12  Iran strikes U.S. 5th Fleet base, Bahrain erupts in uprising & and Saudi forces move to crush dissent, by Robert Inlakesh | MintPress News  With round the clock missile and drone strikes, civil unrest, damage to vital infrastructure and even rumors that its leader has fled, chaos has characterized the state of affairs in Bahrain. READ MORE . . .

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Four interviews: with former CIA officer John Kiriakou HERE; with Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University HERE; with retired U.S. Army Col. Douglas Macgregor HERE; and with Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago, HERE.

(Kiriakou spoke with Joe Lauria of Consortium News last night, Sachs with Anand Naidoo of CGTN America yesterday, Macgregor with Darrell Thomas of VRIC Media yesterday, and Mearsheimer with Chris Hedges of the Chris Hedges Report on Wednesday.)

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

First, links to FIVE-plus reports (9) and an advisory: from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 3-13-26 and LEBANON and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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ADVISORY  To watch: The World This Week w/John Kiriakou, at 8 p.m EDT. Joe Lauria, editor-in-chief of Consortium News, talks with ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou about the spread of the war in Iran, Israel and on U.S. bases as while Gulf Arabs reconsider U.S. ties and the U.S. reportedly considers a ground invasion. Click HERE at or shortly after 8 p.m. to livestream talk, or for subsequent video.

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Tehran threatens Middle East’s busiest port as Iran war enters its third week, by Jon Gambrell, Sam Mednick, Konstantin Toropin and Samy Magdy | AP  DUBAI — Iran openly threatened a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets for the first time today, warning people to immediately evacuate the busiest port in the Middle East and two others in the United Arab Emirates. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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The latest on the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran after 2 weeks. Reported by Carrie Kahn, Hannah Bloch and Scott Simon | NPR  The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran two weeks ago. Most recently, six U.S. personnel died in a plane crash in Iraq, Iran vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, and more Marines are headed to the region. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for all four Iran war-related reports on this morning’s NPR “Weekend Edition Saturday” program.

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U.S. military bombs Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, Trump says. From NPR. President Trump said on Friday the U.S. military had “totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.” READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 13  Life under bombing in Tehran: The diary of an Iranian writer paints a vivid picture. Reported by Ruth Sherlock | NPR  In written messages and voice notes, one resident of Tehran gives a rare and intimate portrayal of life in the Iranian capital under constant bombardment. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for two other Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “All Things Considered” program.

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Linka to two reports from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on its name as highlighted. (Scroll down for LEBANON 3-14-26.  Scroll up or down for IRAN and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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Israeli strike in south Lebanon kills 17 medical staff, by Heba Nasser | Middle East Eye  Doctors, nurses and paramedics were among the 17 killed late Friday in an Israeli direct attack on a primary healthcare centre in the border village of Burj Qalawiyeh in the Bint Jbeil district, health authorities said today. READ MORE . . .

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Israel and Lebanon expected to hold direct talks, Haaretz says. From Middle East Eye. Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold direct talks in the coming days, their first since the start of the war on Iran that has drawn Lebanon deeper into conflict, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported today citing two sources. READ MORE . . .

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First, links to TWO reports: from the Associated Press and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for UKRAINE 2-25--26 (or click HERE*). Scroll up for IRAN and LEBANON.) — MCM

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Russian strike on Kyiv region kills 4 people and wounds 15 as peace talks are stalled, by Susie Blann | AP  KYIV — A combined Russian missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region killed at least four people and wounded 15, a Ukrainian official said today, after the United States postponed Russia-Ukraine talksdue to the war with Iran. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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