LIVE: Trump claims Iran wants deal, US in talks with ‘respected’ leader in Tehran
Trump says US and Iran have had “productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution” of hostilities; Iran press says there were no talks
Here is the top, trending news of Monday, March 23, 2026, including Iran war, Indian politics, states' politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Read updates below.
Live Updates
- 23 March 2026 10:04 PM IST
Kerala: EC notice bears BJP seal; poll body says action taken against official
In an embarrassing error during the ongoing Kerala Assembly election process, a notice circulated by the Election Commission of India was found carrying the seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), prompting a complaint from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI M) and a subsequent clarification from the poll body.
The issue came to light after a communication shared by the EC with political parties bore the BJP’s seal. The document, which was part of an official exchange, was circulated among stakeholders in that form, drawing attention from party representatives.
The CPIM raised the matter with the Commission, objecting to the presence of a party seal on an EC communication. Party leaders termed it a lapse and sought an explanation, stating that official correspondence from the Commission should not carry identification marks of any political party.
Following the complaint, the Election Commission issued a clarification stating that the incident was the result of a clerical error. According to the EC, the document in question had originally been submitted by the BJP in response to an earlier communication from the Commission.
The EC said that during the process of forwarding the document to other political parties, the version bearing the BJP seal was inadvertently shared without being modified, attributing it to an office-level oversight.
The Commission stated that the error was unintentional and occurred during routine handling of documents. The Kerala Chief Electoral Officer also said the lapse was a clerical error and confirmed that action had been taken against the official involved. The officer also said that the CPM had circulated a letter that had already been withdrawn on March 21, which added to the confusion.
The EC further said that steps would be taken to ensure that such errors do not recur in future communications. The clarification comes amid the ongoing election process in Kerala, where polling is scheduled in a single phase, with political parties continuing to raise complaints on various aspects of campaign conduct and election procedures.
- 23 March 2026 7:59 PM IST
India committed to advancing just, lasting peace in Palestine: Govt
India's position towards Palestine has been long-standing, and New Delhi remains committed to advancing a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region, the government has informed Parliament.
In a written response to a query in the Lok Sabha on March 20, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also said India attended the Board of Peace meeting held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington on February 19 as an "observer".
The question and the response were uploaded on the Lok Sabha website on Monday.
"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid a State visit to Israel on February 25-26, 2026. During the visit, Prime Minister reaffirmed India's support for the Gaza Peace Plan, which has been endorsed by the UN Security Council," Singh said in his response.
"India's position towards Palestine has been long-standing. India remains committed to advancing a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region," he said.
- 23 March 2026 7:53 PM IST
Trump says Iran wants deal, US in talks with 'respected' leader in Tehran
US President Donald Trump, who deferred attacks on Iran's power plants for five days, has claimed that Tehran seeks “to make a deal” and that American envoys have been holding talks with a “respected” leader of the West Asian nation.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, he said his Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner conducted the talks till evening on Sunday (March 22).
He said the talks would continue today.
Trump did not name any official or officials representing Tehran. He, however, said the US has not talked to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. According to the president, if a deal is reached with Iran, the US will move to take Iran's enriched uranium critical to its disputed nuclear programme.
- 23 March 2026 7:22 PM IST
Two Indian LPG tankers sail through Strait of Hormuz
Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers, carrying roughly a day's supply of the country's cooking gas, have safely navigated through the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach Indian shores over the next two days.
LPG tankers Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, sailing close to each other, started from the Persian Gulf on Monday morning before crossing the strait, ship tracking data showed.
The two ships are carrying about 92,000 tonnes of LPG, said Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, at a news briefing. "The movement has started." Without disclosing the final port of destination, he said the ship typically took two to two-and-a-half days to transit from the Gulf to India.
Both the LPG tankers sailed through waters between Iran's Larak and Qeshm islands, possibly to make their identities clear to Iranian authorities before they crossed the Strait, ship tracking data showed.
- 23 March 2026 7:20 PM IST
You cannot be playing surrounded by warships: Humpy
Indian chess great Koneru Humpy stands firm on her decision to pull out of the Candidates tournament in Cyprus later this month, saying one cannot be "surrounded by warships" and still play peacefully, while asserting she is "not scared" of penalties and is not playing for monetary benefits.
Humpy, the two-time World Rapid champion and one of four Indians set to compete in the Candidates in Cyprus from March 28, pulled out of the prestigious event citing safety concerns amid the ongoing Gulf conflict, given the island's proximity to the volatile region.
Earlier this month, a drone strike on a UK base heightened fears in the region, prompting Humpy to pull out. She has since been replaced by Ukrainian Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk.
“You can’t play surrounded by warships, which is guarding the island (Cyprus). If a foreigner like me and being a woman, if I have to travel and that too for such an important tournament, how can I play peacefully?" Humpy told PTI on Monday.
With her late withdrawal, Humpy is the only one among the 16 contestants to pull out, and while there could be a hefty financial penalty, she said she is not scared.
- 23 March 2026 7:17 PM IST
Home prices may rise if conflict continues for long: CREDAI-NAREDCO
Realtors’ bodies CREDAI and NAREDCO on Monday said developers have started to feel the pinch of the ongoing conflict in West Asia due to the short supply of some building materials, and said construction costs could rise if tensions continue for a longer period.
The two associations, together representing around 20,000 developers, also expressed concern about possible delays in the completion of real estate projects due to likely shortages of construction materials.
Both, CREDAI National President Shekhar Patel and NAREDCO President Parveen Jain said the input cost could rise if war persists for longer period, resulting in an increase in housing prices as well. - 23 March 2026 6:17 PM IST
Crude oil crashes 9% as Trump pauses military strikes on Iran
Crude oil prices swung sharply on March 23, erasing early gains to hit the lower circuit, falling 9 per cent to Rs 8,431 per barrel on the Multi Commodity Exchange after US President Donald Trump announced a temporary halt to planned military strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure. Prices had initially surged 4 per cent to an intraday high of Rs 9,620 per barrel before the dramatic reversal.
The selloff mirrored moves in global markets. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 7.37 per cent to USD 90.99 per barrel, while Brent crude dropped 6.30 per cent to USD 99.71 per barrel in New York, as easing geopolitical tensions triggered widespread profit-booking after recent sharp gains.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had instructed the Department of War to postpone all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, contingent on the success of ongoing talks. He added that Washington and Tehran had held "very good and productive conversations" over the past two days towards a complete resolution of hostilities in the Middle East.
The announcement followed days of heightened tension. On Saturday, Trump had warned Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face military action, while Tehran had threatened to destroy infrastructure across West Asia if the US struck first. Analysts said the temporary de-escalation eased supply disruption fears, driving the sharp correction in oil prices.
- 23 March 2026 6:12 PM IST
West Asia conflict, US trade probes fuel global market volatility: RBI
The conflict in West Asia and fresh trade investigations by the US have resulted in increased volatility in the global markets, the RBI bulletin said on March 23.
India's foreign exchange reserves remain adequate to provide a cushion against external shocks, said an article on the state of the economy published in the bulletin.
The second advance estimates of GDP for 2025-26 indicate sustained resilience of the Indian economy, it noted. "High-frequency indicators signal towards economic activity gaining momentum in February," the article said.
It further said CPI headline inflation picked up in February on account of food and beverages.
The central bank, however, said views expressed in the article are those of the authors and do not represent the views of the Reserve Bank of India.
- 23 March 2026 5:57 PM IST
Iran mocks Trump’s '5-day pause', calls US threats a 'bluff'
Iran's state-affiliated media interpreted US President Donald Trump's decision to halt strikes on the West Asian country's electricity infrastructure as a sign of American indecisiveness. Some even called the American leader's threat a "bluff" and said the decision to postpone the attack was evidence.
The country's Mehr News said on social media that Tehran's response to the recent attacks on its energy sites had "forced" Washington to reconsider its stance. Mehr called Trump's threat "a bluff" and that deferring the strike was the proof.
The declaration made by Trump, who previously issued Tehran a 48-hour ultimatum (until Monday) regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, concerning a five-day period during which Washington would refrain from targeting the Iranian power grid and associated infrastructure, was received in Tehran's media landscape with a combination of mockery and celebration.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reports said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office made no immediate reaction to Trump’s announcement.
- 23 March 2026 5:15 PM IST
Kashmiris loosen purse strings for Iran; women lead with family gold
Donations for the war-ravaged Iran poured from across Kashmir for the second day on Monday as people, cutting across sectarian lines, lent support to the drive by contributing money and valuables.
Shia leader Imran Ansari urged the authorities to allow the "collective act of faith and solidarity to continue with dignity" and without "any unnecessary pressure or questioning."
Donation drives were conducted in several areas of Srinagar, including Zadibal, Hassanabad, Shalimar, Qamarwari, Lawaypora, and Bemina localities. People from the majority Sunni sect also did not hold back.
Similar drives took place in Budgam, Bandipora and Baramulla districts, especially in the areas with considerable Shia population.
Cash, gold, silverware, and copper utensils were among the things extended as in relief to war-hit Iran, the officials said.
Women, in particular, contributed generously by donating gold jewellery, copper utensils, and other household items. Some families offered livestock. Children donated their savings and pocket money.
A woman donated gold kept in memory of her husband, who died 28 years ago.
The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi termed the gesture the greatest source of comfort for the people of Iran.
"A respected sister from Kashmir donated the gold kept as a memento of her husband who passed away 28 years ago with a heart full of love and solidarity for the people of #Iran. Your tears and pure emotions are the greatest source of comfort for the people of Iran and will never be forgotten. Thank you #Kashmir. Thank you #India," the Iranian Embassy said on X.
The contributions are expected to be channelled through official relief organisations, including the Iranian Embassy, the officials said. Read the full story
