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ISLAMABAD: Iran&rsquo;s military said Wednesday that the United States is failing in its war and &ldquo;negotiating with itself&rdquo; to save face, dismissing claims that talks are underway to end the conflict. According to reports widely covered in international media, the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (the unified command of Iran&rsquo;s armed forces), Second Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari,&nbsp;said in a video published by Iranian outlets that the US should not call its setbacks an agreement. &ldquo;Has the level of your internal conflict reached the point where you are negotiating with yourselves?&rdquo; he asked. He said that energy and oil prices would not return to previous levels until regional stability is guaranteed by &ldquo;the powerful hand of our armed forces.&rdquo; The statement came a day after US President Donald Trump said Washington is speaking to the &ldquo;right people&rdquo; in Iran, which he said wants a deal &ldquo;so badly,&rdquo; during an oath-taking ceremony at the White House. Trump also said Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were &ldquo;in negotiations right now,&rdquo; according to CNN. Iranian officials have not confirmed any talks, saying only that messages had passed through intermediaries. Zolfaqari mocked US leadership, saying, &ldquo;someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you. Not now, not ever,&rdquo; according to the BBC. He described Washington&rsquo;s prior strategic power as &ldquo;turned into a strategic defeat&rdquo; and warned that previous oil prices and the regional order would not return until US leaders abandon the idea of attacking Iran, reported CNN.

The Spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of Iran’s armed forces, Second Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari speaking on March 25, 2026. (Tasnim News Agency)

Middle East

Americas

The spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the US is failing in its war, dismissing claims that talks are underway to end the conflict.

Iran military says US ‘negotiating with itself’ over peace talks reports

ISLAMABAD: The current United States war with Iran is putting pressure on the American weapons pipeline, with expensive missiles being consumed faster than industry can replace them.&nbsp; A report published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and an article in The National Interest, point to the problem: modern high-intensity war burns through precision weapons very quickly, while the factories and chemicals behind those weapons move much more slowly.&nbsp;The think tank&rsquo;s report found that, in a major war, the United States could exhaust some critical missile inventories within days or about a week, and that rebuilding certain stockpiles could take years.&nbsp; The report modeled a conflict in Taiwan, but the core lesson is broader: when a war depends heavily on long-range strikes, stockpiles can shrink at wartime speed while production remains on peacetime timelines.&nbsp; Applying that logic to the current war with Iran suggests a similar strain if American forces keep firing interceptors, cruise missiles, and other guided munitions in repeated rounds.&nbsp; The National Interest article explains why replacement is so slow.&nbsp; One of the biggest bottlenecks is the solid rocket motor, the engine inside many missiles. These motors depend on specialty chemicals, certified plants, strict safety rules, and highly skilled workers.&nbsp; The article says this is not a production chain that can be expanded quickly in the middle of a war, and notes that the United States industry has narrowed from six domestic producers to two main manufacturers over the past two decades.&nbsp; It also identifies ammonium perchlorate, a key chemical used in solid rocket fuel, as a major chokepoint. If supplies of the chemical tighten or a plant goes down, missile output can slow across several programs at once. The problem is not just how many weapons the United States has today, but how hard it would be to replace them if the war keeps dragging on.

The United States war with Iran is straining missile supplies, as analysts warn that precision weapons are being used faster than they can be replaced because production depends on slow, fragile supply chains.

Missile shortages loom as US-Israeli war on Iran drags on

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh government initiated emergency energy conservation measures and prepared for potential power rationing as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-6" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Middle East conflict</a>&nbsp;disrupts global fuel markets, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported. According to the state-run news agency, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood stated that the nation faces a temporary crisis in the energy sector due to ongoing regional unrest. Following an emergency review meeting, the energy minister requested that citizens use electricity and fuel economically to help manage the supply gap. Bangladesh currently holds 201,610 tons of diesel, enough to last 14 days, according to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Director Dr. AKM Azadur Rahman. BSS reported on March 3 that petrol and octane reserves are sufficient for approximately 17 and 31 days. The BPC director indicated that the state is monitoring the supply chain to ensure refined&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/saudi-arabia-assures-pakistan-alternative-oil-supply-route-amid-regional-crisis-1" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">oil shipments</a>&nbsp;from alternative markets continue despite the closure of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/opec-backs-market-stability-as-iran-rules-out-hormuz-closure" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strait of Hormuz.</a> Bangladesh&rsquo;s Cabinet Division issued an 11-point directive on March 5 ordering all public and autonomous offices to curb consumption. As per the mandate, offices must set air conditioners to 25 degrees Celsius or higher and switch off half of their lights. The directive also specified that decorative lighting should be avoided and the use of private vehicles reduced. The research director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, stated that the nation&#39;s energy system faces increased pressure, making supply rationing likely in the short term. Research published in the International Research Journal reported that national energy consumption in Bangladesh grows by roughly 10% annually. This creates a supply-demand disparity that requires immediate management. State Minister Anindya Islam Amit told BSS that electricity for the Boro irrigation season remains a priority even if rationing occurs in other sectors. Boro is Bangladesh&#39;s key dry-season rice crop,&nbsp;demanding heavy irrigation from November to June. To protect gas for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/global-coal-demand-expected-to-hit-record-in-2025-international-energy-agency" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">power generation</a>, the Bangladeshi government ordered CNG filling stations to close daily from 3 pm to 9 pm local time through the month of Ramadan, according to a statement by the energy ministry. A study from the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies found that rising energy costs are already straining the agri-food system, as production costs for rice increased 3.45% annually in recent years. Bangladesh&rsquo;s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructed the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to procure necessary liquefied natural gas from alternative markets to stabilize the grid, BSS reported on March 1.

Fuel droplets fall from a nozzle at a gasoline station in Dhaka, Bangladesh on August 6, 2022. (AFP)

Bangladesh

Bangladesh launches energy conservation and power rationing amid Middle East conflict disrupting fuel supplies, imposing office cutbacks and CNG closures.

Bangladesh curbs energy use as Middle East war strains reserves

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on evacuating Pakistanis from Iran and those residing in Gulf countries. According to an official statement from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, officials briefed PM Sharif on the ongoing process to evacuate Pakistani nationals from Iran. Pakistani nationals are/have been returning safely, officials reported. The meeting reviewed steps by Pakistani embassies to assist citizens in Gulf countries. PM Sharif directed that all embassies must remain available around the clock to provide facilities. He directed the country&rsquo;s Foreign Office to monitor the situation continuously. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials. Foreign Office statement Meanwhile, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Thursday stated that the government has initiated proactive measures to evacuate its citizens from Iran and support stranded nationals across the region. According to an official statement released by the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs&#39; Crisis Management Unit (CMU) now operates 24 hours a day. Staff members monitor regional developments and provide direct assistance to Pakistani nationals. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 922px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2029518714681561551&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=5d6cf356a38ac6626b66c098452c18dee51dc81a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2029518714681561551"></iframe></div></div> Andrabi stated that under directives from PM Sahrif, Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic missions have opened Special Facilitation Desks. These centers manage visa facilitation, logistics, and travel arrangements for stranded citizens. Missions also launched dedicated mobile applications, registration portals, and helplines to improve outreach. The spokesperson said that Pakistani diplomats are working with host governments to secure consular support for the diaspora. Commercial flights have partially resumed, allowing some stranded individuals to begin returning to their destinations. He stated that the government continues to prioritize the safety and return of overseas Pakistanis. Emergency contact details for the ministry and its missions are available on official websites.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on evacuating Pakistanis from Iran and those residing in Gulf countries.(PMO)

Foreign Affairs

PM Sharif directed that all embassies must remain available around the clock to provide facilities.

Articles tagged with "War in Middle East"

Iran military says US ‘negotiating with itself’ over peace talks reports

Missile shortages loom as US-Israeli war on Iran drags on

Bangladesh curbs energy use as Middle East war strains reserves

PM Sharif chairs meeting on evacuating Pakistanis from Iran, Gulf