Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

It's still very difficult to contact people inside Iran amid the internet outage, but some have managed to connect using satellite internet such as Starlink and other methods, though it comes at a high cost.

Using or possessing Starlink can lead to up to two years in prison.

I have been asking them what they think about Donald Trump’s threat to take Iran “back to the Stone Ages”.

One woman in her 20s in Tehran says: “In my opinion, this claim is completely unrealistic and impossible. Given its current cultural, demographic, and economic structures, especially considering its historical experience, Iran has a strong capacity for reconstruction.”

Meanwhile, a woman in her 40s in Tehran says: “I hope he won’t do it. I’m worried that he might want to strike all the oil and energy industries and infrastructure and completely destroy them. Rebuilding all of that takes a very long time.”

Hugh Schofield
Paris Correspondent

Image source, EPA

President Trump has been on the offensive against France, which he accuses of failing to help in the war on Iran, and personally too against President Macron.

Trump, on Wednesday, commented that Macron's wife Brigitte "treats him extremely badly".

Macron said these comments were inelegant and unworthy and did not merit a response.

On strategic matters, the French president said the Trump administration was constantly giving out contrary signals.

"There’s too much talk" he said, adding "it’s going off in every direction. But we all need stability, calm, a return to peace. It’s not a show."

"If you want to be serious, you can’t say each day the opposite of what you said the day before."

Cooper says discussions today will be followed up by a meeting of military planners to look into what can be done to secure safe navigation in the area.

The ongoing call will focus on discussing "collective mobilisation of our full range of diplomatic and economic tools and pressure," she says.

They will also discuss "action to guarantee the safety of ships and seafarers," as well as "effective coordination that we need across the world to enable a safe and sustained opening of the strait," Cooper says.

Image source, Reuters

Cooper tells the meeting of over 40 foreign ministers there is an "urgent need" to restore freedom of navigation for international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In the last 24 hours, she says, 25 vessels have passed through the strait - it would usually see 150 vessels pass through, but has been impacted by Iran's effective blockade of the key route.

She adds there are some 20,000 tracked seafarers on some 2,000 trapped ships due to the strait's near-total closure.

Image source, Reuters

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper condemns Iran's "recklessness" for "hitting global economic security", as she addresses a virtual meeting of foreign ministers.

The meeting is aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz - a vital shipping route in the Middle East.

We will bring you more from the meeting when we can.

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent, reporting from the FCDO

How to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for normal business through diplomacy?

That’s the question being addressed today in a virtual ‘summit’ of foreign ministers, hosted by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper here at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Westminster.

There are no easy answers.

President Trump and Israel’s war on Iran has, bizarrely, left the Iranian regime in a far stronger bargaining position than it had before the war started. By threatening shipping passing through this vital waterway, Iran can effectively hold the global economy to ransom.

With hundreds of ships stranded on either side of the strait, oil, gas and diesel prices have risen sharply.

President Trump has vacillated between setting Iran an ultimatum to reopen the strait or indicating he will walk away from the problem.

Now, he says that the countries that need the product coming out of the Gulf should deal with it themselves.

We're keeping an eye on the developments at the virtual summit between 35 foreign ministers - stay with us.

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

I'm hearing from two sources that Karaj, a city west of Tehran, has been "hit hard".

A source in Tehran tells me he could hear fighter jets passing above his house. Iranian outlets have also reported on strikes on Karaj.

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

Iran's internet blackout has now entered day 34, with most users cut off from the outside world for over 792 hours, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks.

Connectivity to the outside world remains at 1% of normal levels.

NetBlocks has said that “friends and family remain largely cut off from the outside world amid growing anxiety over wartime casualties, arrests, and executions”.

A few people have managed to connect using satellite internet such as Starlink and other methods, but it comes at a high cost.

In Iran, using or possessing Starlink can lead to up to two years in prison, and authorities are trying to crack down on it. Iranian outlets have reported that “hundreds” of Starlink devices have been confiscated since the war started.

Image source, Getty Images

UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has told the BBC that any signals of division within Nato could be a "gift" to countries like Iran and Russia.

Badenoch was giving her reaction to Trump's threats to leave Nato in response to the perceived lack of support for his military action in Iran.

"I think that we need to make sure that we do not give gifts to countries like Russia or Iran, making it seem as if there is a split in the Western alliance," Badenoch told BBC Breakfast. "What President Trump's words are, is creating that.

"If they see that the Western countries are squabbling, that's a gift to them.

"That's a gift to Russia and Iran and other enemies. We need to show that the Western alliance is still strong. I certainly disagree with anything that looks like it's undermining Nato."

In Trump's address last night, he said countries that need oil from the Middle East should now take the lead to keep the Strait of Hormuz - a key oil shipping route - open.

Around 20% of the world's oil supply normally passes through the strait.

Our business reporter Peter Hoskins said earlier that Trump's address seemed to do nothing to reassure global oil markets - and the price of oil has jumped since his address.

Iran's foreign ministry has, as we've just reported, reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz is open to ships as long as they do not belong to the US or Israel.

And, later today, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will discuss plans to ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz with counterparts from 35 countries later today.

The strait has been all but closed by Iran putting significant pressure on global supply chains and energy prices.

Iran has said the route is only closed to tankers and ships belonging to countries involved in attacks against it.

Let's take a look at why restoring regular traffic through the waterway is so important:

Image source, Anadolu via Getty Images

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson says it is allowing ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz - the key oil shipping route - as long as they "do not belong to the aggressor and are not related to them".

In an interview with TV channel Newzroom Afrika, Esmail Baghaei says ships would be allowed to pass through the strait "after necessary co-ordination with our authorities".

Referring to the wider conflict, Baghaei says Iran would not tolerate a "vicious cycle of war, negotiations, ceasefire". In June, a 12-day war between Iran and Israel involved the US attacking several of Iran's nuclear and military sites.

"They said let's stop, so we stopped, and after nine months, they started again," Baghaei says.

Image source, Reuters

Earlier today, Tehran warned the US and Israel of "crushing" attacks as strikes continue for the fifth consecutive week.

The warning came only hours after President Donald Trump warned the US will hit Iran "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks - this is the latest back and forth of threats between the two nations.

On 21 March, Trump said American forces would "obliterate" Iranian power plants if Tehran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

The threat was met with a strike near the Israeli town of Dimona, an area linked to Israel's undeclared nuclear programme. Meanwhile, Iran reiterated that the strait remains open to countries not participating in attacks against it.

On 23 March, Trump said Washington and Tehran had had a "very good and productive conversation" and postponed strikes on energy infrastructure by five days.

Three days later, on 26 March, the pause was extended to 10 days, following what he claimed was a request by the Iranian government.

On 31 March, the IRGC renewed threats to American tech companies with operating sites in the Middle East - including Microsoft, Apple, and IBM. Trump brushed off the threat, telling reporters he questions what Iran could do, saying will they use "BB guns" - a type of airgun which fires small pellets.

Is Trump right to claim US imports 'almost no oil' via Strait of Hormuz?published at 10:08 BST 2 April

10:08 BST 2 April

Image source, Reuters

By Tom Edgington

In his address to the nation last night, Donald Trump downplayed the importance of the Strait of Hormuz and claimed the US imports "almost no oil" through the route.

However, data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that the US imported about 0.4 million barrels per day of crude oil and condensate via the strait in the first half of 2025. This accounted for about 7% of US crude oil and condensate imports., external

While this share is relatively small, it is not negligible. The EIA also notes US imports from countries in the Gulf have “fallen to the lowest level in 40 years as domestic production has increased”.

Overall the US is a net exporter of oil, but it still imports some because its refineries are designed to process different types of crude - including some that can’t be produced domestically.

In these cases the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers says it is more practical and cost effective to import it., external

Ghoncheh Habibiazad
Senior reporter, BBC Persian

Image source, Getty Images

"He said to her: 'You're no longer my sister', and she told him to go to hell."

This argument between a man and his sister in a city near Tehran - witnessed and recounted by one of their relatives - gives a telling insight into the painful rows erupting among families and friends as US and Israeli strikes continue.

The relative, who we are calling Sina, says that when his family recently got together, emotions quickly exploded, exposing stark divisions.

His uncle, a member of the Basij - a volunteer militia often deployed to suppress dissent in Iran - refused to even greet his own sister, who is opposed to the ruling regime.

After their exchange, the uncle was "very quiet… and left early", Sina says.

In some surprisingly personal notes, he and other young Iranians have described emotional scenes as rifts open up over the war.

You can read more on how the ongoing war is causing division among families in Iran in my story

Israel's perpetual war with Iran may be hard to win with military might alonepublished at 09:02 BST 2 April

09:02 BST 2 April

Lucy Williamson
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Israel

On the highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, American flags now hang alongside Israeli ones – a public sign of appreciation for US involvement in fighting Iran.

"We used to beg American administrations only to recognise a Credible Military Threat [from Iran]," said Israel's former National Security Advisor, Tzachi Hangebi, who left office four months before this war began.

"The fact that both Israel and the US are working day in, day out to diminish the capabilities of Iran, that's beyond my most utopian fantasies."

America's decision to jointly wage war on Iran opened-up possibilities for Israel to attack its old enemy in new ways – officials here talk of dividing up targets with their US counterparts according to their respective capabilities.

But this war has so far not resolved any of Israel's regional conflicts in the way its prime minister suggested it would.

The war was framed as a chance to tackle Israel's existential threats. But the lessons from Israel's other wars suggest military might alone may not be enough.

• You can read more from Lucy Williamson here

Image source, Gett

Foreign ministers to discuss reopening Strait of Hormuz - but US won't be therepublished at 08:27 BST 2 April

08:27 BST 2 April

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Image source, PA Media

Leaders of 35 countries recently signed a joint statement in which they said they were willing to contribute to "appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz".

Many of their foreign ministers will take part in a "virtual summit" around lunchtime today. The remit is to discuss "viable diplomatic and political" solutions to reopen the route.

Given Iran says it remains closed to "enemies of the nation" it’s not surprising that Keir Starmer said yesterday this would not be an easy task.

While the UK, France, Germany, Australia, and Gulf states are likely virtual attendees at the summit, crucially the US is not.

Overnight, Trump suggested the strait - a crucial shipping route - could open "automatically" when the conflict ends. Other nations are not so sure.

De-mining, for example, may be necessary. So, multi-national military planners are also meeting to discuss how the strait could be made safe after the fighting has stopped.

The priority is to ensure safe navigation for shipping and, in turn, bring oil prices down and push the supply of fertiliser for food production up.

Lucy Hooker
Business reporter

Earlier this week, Trump seemed eager to calm traders’ fears, promising that an end to this conflict was in sight, and sending Brent Crude briefly below $100 a barrel.

Wednesday’s speech seems to have done the opposite. On Thursday Brent Crude is back up over $107.

That’s a reflection in part of the bellicose rhetoric around sending Iran "back to the stone ages".

But just as importantly perhaps there was nothing in the speech indicating how progress towards peace might be made, or how the Strait of Hormuz, the route for a large proportion of the world’s energy supply, would be reopened, beyond suggesting he doesn’t see it as America’s problem.

Trump is still talking about an end to the conflict within a few weeks.

But after the last month of rhetorical flip-flopping oil traders will need a bit more convincing than that.

In the last hour, a spokesperson for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense said the country has intercepted a new wave of drones.

They say four unmanned vehicles were intercepted and destroyed.

Earlier, the ministry said it had also downed a ballistic missile heading to the eastern region of the country.

A spokesperson for the Iranian military says the US and Israel have been striking "insignificant" targets as he warns of incoming "crushing, broader and destructive" attacks.

In a statement shared by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency and the semi-official Fars news agency, he says the two countries have "incomplete" information about Tehran's military capabilities and equipment.

The spokesperson adds that Iran's military production "takes place in places that you do not know at all" - as he rejects Trump's claims that Iran's weapons stock has been widely depleted.

He says the US and Israel "must pay for the aggression you initiated".