Iran War Day 25: Trump says Iran agrees to no nukes, Pentagon reportedly deploying 3K troops

As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran continued into its 25th day, President Donald Trump said he is still in talks with Iran and that the country has already agreed never to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has announced it will allow “non-hostile” ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon is reportedly preparing to deploy 3,000 more troops to the Middle East.

Trump says Iran talks are ongoing, country has agreed to no nuclear weapons

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office March 24 that Iran negotiations are ongoing, with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff participating in the talks alongside him. Iran’s military infrastructure and leaders have been dismantled, and the country would “like to make a deal” with the U.S., Trump said. He also said Iranian leaders have agreed to “never have a nuclear weapon.” 

Hours earlier, however, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps dismissed Trump’s claims of diplomatic progress as it fired a new wave of missiles at Tel Aviv. The Iranian military said the “contradictory behavior of the deceptive U.S. president does not distract us from the battlefield,” according to NBC News.

When asked about the status of the Strait of Hormuz – which the New York Post reported is dotted with about a dozen Iranian missiles – Trump said Iranian leaders gave him a “present” related to oil and gas that “arrived today.” He later added that the gift was tied to the Hormuz Strait, a vital waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply flows. 

“It was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money, and I’m not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize,” he said. 

Two sources who spoke with Axios said U.S. officials are discussing potential high-level talks with Iran as soon as March 26, though they are still awaiting Tehran’s response. The outlet reported that the U.S. has also shared a 15-point proposal with Israel to end the war and that Iran has already agreed to several elements of the plan.

Report: Pentagon prepares 3,000 troops for Iran war deployment 

According to The Wall Street Journal, which cited two U.S. officials, the Department of War is preparing to deploy about 3,000 troops from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. The troops would reportedly come from the division’s Immediate Response Force, a brigade combat team based at Fort Liberty in North Carolina that can deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours. The move would add considerable force to the thousands of Marines already en route to the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince reportedly pushes Trump to continue war

Saudi Arabia’s de-facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been pushing Trump to continue the war against Iran, according to a March 24 report from The New York Times that cites people briefed on the matter. Salman argued the war presents a “historic opportunity” to reshape the Middle East.

Salman’s comments stem from a series of conversations he had with Trump over the past week, the report stated. He has reportedly said that Saudi Arabia is concerned Iran poses a long-term threat to the Gulf that can only be eliminated by removing its current government.

At the same time, a U.S. official told the outlet that the crown prince also conveyed to Trump that Israel should stop attacking civilian infrastructure in Iran, warning that a lack of functioning infrastructure after the war could make the U.S. and its allies in the region targets of Iranian aggression.

Lebanon expels Iran’s ambassador

Lebanon has declared Iran’s ambassador to the country persona non grata, revoking his accreditation and ordering him to leave Lebanese territory by March 29, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raffi said March 24. The announcement comes as the Israeli military continues striking sites in southern Lebanon and Israeli officials signal a deeper push into the country.

Pakistani PM says country is ready to host US-Iran talks 

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on social media that his country “stands ready and honored” to host “meaningful and conclusive” talks between the U.S. and Iran. He proposed peace talks would be “subject to concurrence” by both Washington and Tehran. 

Sharif wrote: “Pakistan welcomes and fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end the WAR in Middle East, in the interest of peace and stability in region and beyond.”

Iran says 'non-hostile' ships can transit Strait of Hormuz on Tehran's terms

Iran's Foreign Ministry circulated a communiqué to all 176 member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) stating that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the Strait of Hormuz – provided they coordinate with Iranian authorities and take no actions in support of what Tehran calls aggression against it. The letter, dated March 22, was also sent to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to Reuters.

The letter explicitly bars any vessel linked to the United States, Israel, or what Iran called "other participants in the aggression.” They "do not qualify for innocent or non-hostile passage," the message stated. Any ship that wants to use the route must first clear the voyage with Iranian authorities.

The Financial Times reported the IMO letter was likely what Trump was referring to when he spoke about Iran giving a “very significant present” to the U.S.