Iran sends waves of missiles into Israel and dismisses Trump's talk of negotiations as 'fake news'; Irish Government reveals fuel relief package

Iran sends waves of missiles into Israel and dismisses Trump's talk of negotiations as 'fake news'; Irish Government reveals fuel relief package Follow the Irish Independent's liveblog below Key updates Explainer: Some airlines cancel flights to Middle East until mid-September Revealed: How much war in the Middle East is expected to add to average grocery bill in Ireland this year Donal O’Donovan: Markets can’t keep up with war in Iran, and that’s going to be bad for the real economy Trump raises hopes for war to wind down but no sign of reduced fighting Fuel measures: Government to cut taxes on petrol by 17c and diesel by 22c for the next two months Sam Kiley: Trump forced to hit pause as Iran exposes limits of power without a plan Denise Calnan Explainer: Some airlines cancel flights to Middle East until mid-September Global air travel remains severely disrupted, with many people still unable to fly as planned to destinations after the Iran war forced the closure of major Middle Eastern hubs, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Below is the latest on flights, in alphabetical order: AEGEAN AIRLINES Greece's largest carrier has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until April 22, and to Erbil and Baghdad until May 24. Flights to Dubai have been cancelled until April 19 and to Riyadh until April 18. AIRBALTIC Latvia's airBaltic said all flights to Tel Aviv had been cancelled until April 29. All flights to Dubai stand cancelled until October 24. AIR CANADA The Canadian carrier has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until May 2 and to Dubai until March 28. AIR EUROPA The Spanish airline has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until April 10. AIR FRANCE KLM Air France has cancelled Tel Aviv and Beirut flights until March 28 and Dubai and Riyadh flights until March 24, as well as a March 25 departure from Dubai. KLM suspended flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai until May 17 and to Tel Aviv until April 11. CATHAY PACIFIC The Hong Kong airline has cancelled all passenger flights to Dubai and Riyadh until May 31. To cater to a surge in demand to Europe, it will operate three additional return flights to Paris and Zurich, and will provide additional seats on 13 existing flights to London in April. DELTA The U.S. carrier has cancelled its New York-Tel Aviv flights until May 31 and Tel Aviv-New York flights until June 1. The restart of its Atlanta-Tel Aviv route has been delayed, with flights to Tel Aviv paused until August 4 and from Tel Aviv until August 5. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES The Israeli carrier said operational constraints are preventing regular flights from Israel, except in rare, exceptional cases, and that it is continuing efforts to bring passengers home. The airline has also urged authorities to open Ramon Airport near Eilat. EMIRATES The UAE airline said it was operating a reduced flight schedule following a partial reopening of regional airspace. ETIHAD AIRWAYS The UAE carrier said it was operating a limited commercial flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and select destinations. FINNAIR The Finnish carrier has cancelled its Dubai flights until March 29 and Doha flights until July 2, while continuing to avoid the airspace of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Israel. FLYNAS Saudi budget airline Flynas has extended its suspension of flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Syria until March 31. IAG IAG-owned British Airways has extended cancellations of flights to Amman, Bahrain, Dubai and Tel Aviv until May 31 and to Doha until April 30, while adding flights to Bangkok and Singapore. Flights to Abu Dhabi remain suspended until later this year. INDIGO The Indian airline has suspended operations to Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah until March 28. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines has suspended scheduled Tokyo-Doha flights until March 31 and Doha-Tokyo flights until April 1. LOT The Polish airline said all its flights to Dubai stand cancelled until March 28 and to Tel Aviv until May 31. It has also cancelled flights to Riyadh until April 30 and to Beirut from March 31 to April 30. LUFTHANSA GROUP The German airline group, which includes Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways, has suspended flights to Tel Aviv through April 9, and to Beirut, Dubai, Amman, Erbil and Abu Dhabi until March 28. Flights to Tehran are suspended through April 30 and to Riyadh until April 5. MALAYSIA AIRLINES The Malaysian carrier has suspended all flights to Doha until March 28. NORWEGIAN AIR The low-cost airline has pushed back planned launches of its Tel Aviv and Beirut services to June 15, from April 1 and April 4, respectively. It has cancelled all Dubai flights through April 8. PEGASUS Turkey's Pegasus Airlines has cancelled its Iran, Iraq, Amman, Beirut, Kuwait, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah flights until April 13. Flights to Riyadh have been cancelled until March 24. QATAR AIRWAYS The carrier said it would operate a revised limited number of flights until March 28. SINGAPORE AIRLINES Singapore Airlines said it will extend the suspension of its Singapore-Dubai flights until April 30, and add services between Singapore and London Gatwick from March 31 to October 24, and on the Singapore-Melbourne route from March 29 to October 24 to meet higher demand. TURKISH AIRLINES Turkish Airlines has cancelled most Middle East flights until the end of March. SunExpress, its joint venture with Lufthansa, has cancelled flights to Dubai and Bahrain until March 23. VIETNAM AIRLINES Vietnam's flag carrier has planned to cancel 23 flights per week across several domestic routes from April. WIZZ AIR The low-cost airline has suspended flights to Israel until March 29, and to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman and Jeddah from mainland European destinations until mid-September. Reuters Denise Calnan Smoke rises from Beirut's southern suburbs following an Israeli strike, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir Smoke rises from Beirut's southern suburbs following an Israeli strike, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir Smoke rises from Beirut's southern suburbs following an Israeli strike, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir Denise Calnan Revealed: How much war in the Middle East is expected to add to average grocery bill in Ireland this year Grocery prices are set to soar by up to 10pc due to the war in the Middle East, Charlie Weston reports Retail expert Damian O’Reilly said this would see families having to spend up to €700 more a year to feed themselves. Mr O’Reilly, a senior lecturer in retail management at TU Dublin, said higher oil prices feed into higher grocery prices with a lag of a few months. Read the full article here: Denise Calnan Donal O’Donovan: Markets can’t keep up with war in Iran, and that’s going to be bad for the real economy Donald Trump's comments, denied by Tehran, sparked a fresh round of volatility, writes Donal O'Donovan Denise Calnan Trump raises hopes for war to wind down but no sign of reduced fighting Iranian officials said that the American leader had backed down ‘following Iran’s firm warning’ Hopes rose that the Iran war could begin winding down as US President Donald Trump claimed that his government was holding productive talks with Tehran, but fighting showed no signs of slowing and Iran denied there were talks. Mr Trump extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, saying the US will hold off striking Iranian power plants for five more days to allow US envoys to hold talks with a “respected” Iranian leader. Iranian officials said that the American leader had backed down “following Iran’s firm warning”. Relief ripped through financial markets on Monday as oil prices eased following severe losses prior to Mr Trump’s announcement. Markets have had vicious swings, both up and down, since the war began because of uncertainty about how long it may last. The death toll has risen to more than 1,500 people in Iran, more than 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 US military members, as well as a number of civilians on land and sea in the Gulf region. Millions of people in Lebanon and Iran have been displaced. An Israeli strike early on Tuesday on a residential apartment in Bchamoun, around six miles southeast of Beirut, killed at least two people, according to an initial toll from the Lebanese Health Ministry. The strike wounded five others, the ministry added. The strike came without warning and hit an area outside Beirut’s southern suburbs, where the Israeli military had previously issued evacuation notices. Footage circulating online showed at least one apartment in a building engulfed in flames. Also early on Tuesday, Israeli strikes hit several areas in southern Lebanon, including a gas station belonging to the Amana company in Rashidieh, near the port city of Tyre, sending a large plume of fire into the air. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Israel has repeatedly struck Amana fuel stations since the conflict with Hezbollah reignited on March 2, accusing them of being part of the group’s “economic infrastructure” that can support its military activities. U.S. President Donald Trump waves upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque U.S. President Donald Trump waves upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque U.S. President Donald Trump waves upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Denise Calnan Fuel measures: Government to cut taxes on petrol by 17c and diesel by 22c for the next two months Package agreed by Coalition in response to Iran crisis also includes rebate for hauliers, Mary Regan reports Taxes levied on petrol and diesel will be slashed from midnight Tuesday as the disruption to global oil supplies continues to drive economic uncertainty. Following a meeting of Coalition party leaders last night, Finance Minister Simon Harris will announce the excise duty on diesel will be cut by 20c while excise on petrol will be cut by 15c. The measures are due to last until the end of May – but there is acknowledgment within the Coalition that it is hard to predict how long the current period of volatility will last. The package, which will cost the Exchequer up to €250m, will not include any energy credits like those that were introduced in response to the war in Ukraine. Coalition sources stressed that they cannot shield people from the full impact of the war, but that the package to be agreed by the Cabinet today will be “a start”, primarily by helping consumers at the pumps. There will be a suspension of the National Oil Reserve Agency (Nora) levy of 2c per litre, which will bring the effective cuts to 17c on petrol and 22c on diesel. This cut will also apply to home-heating oil. These excise measures will take effect from midnight tonight, subject to a financial resolution being passed in the Dáil. Changes to the Nora levy will require legislation that is likely to be passed in the Dáil this week. There will also be a diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators, which will be backdated to January and keep supply chains functioning. It is also understood that the fuel allowance, currently worth €38 a week, will be doubled to €76 a week for the 470,000 people in receipt of the allowance. The fuel season was due to end on March 31, but will be extended into April. The Government has been pressed to intervene on soaring fuel costs as households report home-heating oil prices doubling to €800 per 500 litres and high petrol and diesel costs. Earlier, Taoiseach Micheál Martin welcomed the announcement by US president Donald Trump that military strikes against energy infrastructure in Iran had been “postponed”, following talks with Tehran. The president had threatened to obliterate Iran’s power plants if the country did not reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz by just before midnight last night. However, in a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said he would delay the strikes by five days following “very good and productive conversations” with Tehran over the previous two days. Speaking to reporters, Mr Martin said: “I welcome the announcement by the American president that they have postponed any attacks on Iranian oil and gas infrastructure. “It’s critical that spreads across the region. It’s critical that the war ends.” Following Mr Trump’s announcement, crude oil prices dropped, with Brent crude oil falling by up to 10pc, later settling at around 8pc lower at just under $104 (€89.55) a barrel. Asked if this would affect the Government’s plans, Mr Martin said ministers are looking at “temporary, targeted measures”. He said rising fuel prices have “already had an impact on people”. Mr Martin added: “The figures are volatile, we know that, They’ve been up and down.” The Taoiseach also said there needed to be “a more sustained engagement with the haulage industry”. He was addressing reports that hauliers had said short-term measures would not help their sector, which he described as “a key part” of Irish trade. Mr Martin said the plans being announced would be “measured and informed”. He added: “I feel we do need a set of proposals to deal with the haulage industry in the long term, to make sure that it’s a viable, sustainable industry.” Transport and logistics play a very significant part of the cost of any product Meanwhile, Andrew Brownlee, CEO of the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), said the sector is “in the eye of the storm” when it comes to rising oil prices. Speaking to RTÉ’s Drivetime, he said materials such as cement, concrete and steel are all produced from fuel-intensive processes. “Because we’re a small island economy, transport and logistics play a very significant part of the cost of any product that our members are purchasing to deliver building activity,” he said. “So it’s really exacerbating a situation where four or five of our members were already telling us that there were significant increases in raw material costs before these Iran attacks even began.” Mr Brownlee said costs are so volatile that it has almost become an “impossible task” to accurately price building activity, which he said is a worry. Denise Calnan The Irish Independent’s View: World economy is at the mercy of Donald Trump’s erratic whims Many have felt US president Donald Trump perceives the global economy as his personal yo-yo. Of late, they were beginning to wonder whether he also believes he holds the whole world on a string. His latest claim that the US and Iran have held talks on the “complete and total resolution of hostilities” in the Middle East has calmed rolling financial chaos – for now. That Tehran denies any such talks even took place hardly matters to him. But as his “little excursion” into Iran enters its fourth week, the havoc it is creating may finally be hitting home. Either way, he has postponed strikes on Iran’s key energy installations for five days. The death tolls, mass displacement of people and price surges have undermined international governments and piled pressure on interest rates. Things have clearly not played out as Trump quite imagined. Though Tehran is outgunned and overwhelmed in terms of the forces ranged against it, the US has been unable to stop the barrage of missiles and drones coming out of Iran and Lebanon. With so much of the world’s energy infrastructure either crippled or ablaze, something had to give. Someone has woken up to the fact that threats of wiping out Iran’s key power supplies could be self-defeating. For Tehran responded with a warning it would blow up the desalination plants that make Gulf ally states habitable. There is no sign, as yet, of Tehran wavering A total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz was also pledged, along with escalating attacks on Israel. Notions that Tel Aviv and Washington harboured of rapidly bludgeoning Iran into regime change have also been debunked. There is no sign, as yet, of Tehran wavering. How long the respite from turmoil will hold is questionable. Iran insists no direct or indirect contact took place. It also says it will not sit down with the US. It has been attacked twice, during what were supposed to have been peace talks. In the day-to-day world, energy shortages and higher electricity prices are causing havoc throughout Europe. Had Trump followed through on his original threats, the current omnishambles would have been compounded. It was pressure from the markets, as opposed to humane or geopolitical considerations, that persuaded Trump to recalibrate. Not long after February 28 – when the war started – Trump said the US operation was “very complete, pretty much”. But weeks later, new American ground forces are en route to the region. He said the war is “winding down”, but the strikes continued unabated. Now he claims Iran “wants very much to make a deal”. Such volatility makes planning impossible for governments. As the Coalition considers measures to cut energy costs, there is no true way of knowing how long they may be needed. It will not be forgotten how without any consultation, Trump first unleashed a tariff war, and then started an international shooting war. It appears that absorbing such seismic shocks from Washington – once the focus for global stability – must now be factored into the price of economic survival. Irish Independent Of late, they were beginning to wonder whether he also believes he holds the whole world on a string. His latest claim that the US and Iran have held talks on the “complete and total resolution of hostilities” in the Middle East has calmed rolling financial chaos – for now. That Tehran denies any such talks even took place hardly matters to him. But as his “little excursion” into Iran enters its fourth week, the havoc it is creating may finally be hitting home. Either way, he has postponed strikes on Iran’s key energy installations for five days. The death tolls, mass displacement of people and price surges have undermined international governments and piled pressure on interest rates. Things have clearly not played out as Trump quite imagined. Though Tehran is outgunned and overwhelmed in terms of the forces ranged against it, the US has been unable to stop the barrage of missiles and drones coming out of Iran and Lebanon. With so much of the world’s energy infrastructure either crippled or ablaze, something had to give. Someone has woken up to the fact that threats of wiping out Iran’s key power supplies could be self-defeating. For Tehran responded with a warning it would blow up the desalination plants that make Gulf ally states habitable. There is no sign, as yet, of Tehran wavering A total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz was also pledged, along with escalating attacks on Israel. Notions that Tel Aviv and Washington harboured of rapidly bludgeoning Iran into regime change have also been debunked. There is no sign, as yet, of Tehran wavering. How long the respite from turmoil will hold is questionable. Iran insists no direct or indirect contact took place. It also says it will not sit down with the US. It has been attacked twice, during what were supposed to have been peace talks. In the day-to-day world, energy shortages and higher electricity prices are causing havoc throughout Europe. Had Trump followed through on his original threats, the current omnishambles would have been compounded. It was pressure from the markets, as opposed to humane or geopolitical considerations, that persuaded Trump to recalibrate. Not long after February 28 – when the war started – Trump said the US operation was “very complete, pretty much”. But weeks later, new American ground forces are en route to the region. He said the war is “winding down”, but the strikes continued unabated. Now he claims Iran “wants very much to make a deal”. Such volatility makes planning impossible for governments. As the Coalition considers measures to cut energy costs, there is no true way of knowing how long they may be needed. It will not be forgotten how without any consultation, Trump first unleashed a tariff war, and then started an international shooting war. It appears that absorbing such seismic shocks from Washington – once the focus for global stability – must now be factored into the price of economic survival. Irish Independent Denise Calnan Sam Kiley: Trump forced to hit pause as Iran exposes limits of power without a plan “By postponing his threat to “obliterate” Iran’s energy system if Tehran doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump has revealed the limits of American power. Trump claims the five-day “pause” on his plans to destroy their country’s electricity system came about through “very good and productive talks” with Tehran – talks Iran say never happened. But the US president did have to account for their calibrated reaction to his threat. Do that, said Iran, in its first response, and we’ll blow up all the desalination plants that keep your Gulf allies alive in the desert, we’ll shut down the Strait of Hormuz until you fix all our stuff that you bombed, and we’ll go after Israel even harder.” Read the full piece from Sam Kiley here: Denise Calnan Philippine president says grounding planes due to fuel shortage a 'distinct possibility', Bloomberg News reports The Philippines said grounding planes due to a shortage of jet fuel brought on by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is a "distinct possibility", Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing an interview with the South East Asian country's president. Several countries have informed Philippine airlines they cannot refuel aircraft, forcing Philippine operators to carry fuel for both outbound and return journeys, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told Bloomberg. Other Asian countries, including Vietnam, have said airlines are preparing to implement fuel surcharges on international routes from early April. Global air travel has been disrupted since the war forced the closure of Middle Eastern hubs, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, stranding tens of thousands of passengers. Anusha Shah, Reuters Denise Calnan Iran sends waves of missiles into Israel, dismisses Trump's talk of negotiations as 'fake news' - Missiles trigger air raid sirens in Tel Aviv - Trump: 'Complete and total resolution of hostilities' discussed - Iranian official says Trump using 'fakenews' to manipulate markets - Global markets slam brakes on relief rally, oil futures back above $100 a barrel Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, the Israeli military said, after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed a threat to bomb the Islamic Republic's power grid because of what he described as productive talks with Iranian officials. The missiles triggered air raid sirens in parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv where blasts from interceptions were heard. In one attack, homes in northern Israel were damaged by falling debris following an interception. No deaths were reported. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Monday that the U.S. and Iran had held "very good and productive" conversations about a "complete and total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East". As a result, he said, he was postponing for five days a plan to hit Iran's energy grid. His announcement sent share prices higher and oil prices sharply lower to below $100 a barrel, a sudden reversal to a market swoon caused by his weekend threats and Iran's vows to respond. Those gains were in jeopardy on Tuesday however, after Iran's powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf - who an Israeli official and two other sources familiar with the matter said was the interlocutor in the talks on the Iranian side - said no negotiations had taken place. "No negotiations have been held with the U.S., and fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped," he wrote on X. Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they were launching fresh attacks on U.S. targets, and described Trump's words as "psychological operations" that were "worn out" and having no impact on Tehran's fight. Global markets rallied in relief overnight Monday after Trump added five days to his Saturday ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz - a conduit for about 20pc of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas - within 48 hours. But on Tuesday those gains were under threat as markets weighed the conflicting messages from Tehran and Washington. U.S. Treasury yields pushed higher and the dollar regained lost ground as the world continues to grapple with an energy shock triggered by Iran's threat to shipping in the strait. Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up 4.2pc to $104.21 a barrel, reversing some of their 10pc slide from Monday, while U.S. crude CLc1 rose 4.3pc to $91.93 per barrel. "The underlying situation is still incredibly fragile or flammable," said IG market analyst Tony Sycamore. 'Major points of agreement' Trump told reporters his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had been negotiating with Iran before the war, had held discussions with a top Iranian official into the evening on Sunday and would continue on Monday. "We have had very, very strong talks. We'll see where they lead. We have major points of agreement, I would say, almost all points of agreement," he said on Monday. A European official said that while there had been no direct negotiations between the two nations, Egypt, Pakistan and Gulf states were relaying messages. A Pakistani official and a second source told Reuters that direct talks on ending the war could be held in Islamabad as soon as this week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that he spoke with Trump on Monday and that Israel would press on with attacks in Lebanon and Iran. But Netanyahu said Trump believed there was a possibility of "leveraging the mighty achievements obtained by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and the U.S. military, in order to realise the goals of the war in a deal - a deal that will preserve our vital interests." Although there was no immediate confirmation that talks had taken place as described by Trump, Iran's foreign ministry described initiatives to reduce tensions. It said Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had reviewed developments related to the Strait of Hormuz with his Omani counterpart and agreed to continue consultations between the two countries. The Pakistani official said U.S. Vice President JD Vance, as well as Witkoff and Kushner, were expected to meet Iranian officials in Islamabad this week, following a call between Trump and Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir. The White House confirmed Trump's call with Munir. The Pakistani prime minister's office and foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iranian media reported that Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed the impact of the war on regional and global security. Iran has effectively closed the key Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched their war on the country on February 28. More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war. Iran had responded to Trump's threats to strike its power plants by saying it would hammer the infrastructure of U.S. allies in the Middle East, raising the prospect that an extreme disruption to global energy supplies could last longer than previously expected. Reuters Emergency personnel work at the site following Iranian missile barrages in central Israel, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun Eoghan Moloney The Irish Independent's live blog on the war in the Middle East and the resulting energy crisis affecting Ireland has concluded tonight. We will return from 6am with the latest news, views and analysis. We will return from 6am with the latest news, views and analysis. Eoghan Moloney White House eyes Iran’s parliament speaker Ghalibaf as potential US-backed leader, Politico reports The Trump administration is quietly weighing Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as a potential partner, and even a future leader, Politico reported on Monday, citing two administration officials. Ghalibaf is seen by at least some in the White House as a workable partner who could lead Iran and negotiate with the Trump administration in the war's next phase, the report said. Reuters Reuters Eva Marie Gibney 20c diesel cut and 15c petrol cut until May Tánaiste Simon Harris will bring forward proposals on Tuesday to cut excise duty on diesel by 20 cent and by 15 cent on petrol until end of May. These excise measures will take effect from midnight Tuesday subject to a financial resolution being passed in the Dáil. With expected changes to the NORA levy, this will mean an effective cut in Government levies of 17 cent on petrol and 22 cent on diesel. There will also be a diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators which will be backdated and keep supply chains functioning. Mary Regan Eva Marie Gibney NORA levy suspension to bring immediate relief on fuel costs It is understood the Minister for Transport has secured supports for hauliers, coach operators and motorists to help with volatile fuel prices. The National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) levy is to be suspended for two months, reducing it from 2 cents per litre to 0 cent. The temporary measure will ease costs for motorists, hauliers, transport operators, and households purchasing home‑heating oil. The tax is used to fund the activities of NORA, primarily in the maintenance of the State’s strategic oil reserves. There will be flexibility built into the Government's response as the situation continues to evolve. The National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) levy is to be suspended for two months, reducing it from 2 cents per litre to 0 cent. The temporary measure will ease costs for motorists, hauliers, transport operators, and households purchasing home‑heating oil. The tax is used to fund the activities of NORA, primarily in the maintenance of the State’s strategic oil reserves. There will be flexibility built into the Government's response as the situation continues to evolve. Mary Regan Eoghan Moloney Trump says Iran wants a deal and claims US holding talks with ‘respected’ leader Eva Marie Gibney Taoiseach welcomes Trump’s 'postponement' of Iran strikes but won't say if move will influence fuel‑price measures Micheál Martin has welcomed the announcement by Donald Trump that the US has "postponed" military strikes against energy infrastructure in Iran, following talks with Tehran. But the Taoiseach would not be drawn on whether the announcement would affect the Government's imminent measures to tackle rising fuel prices. The US president had threatened to obliterate Iran's power plants if the country did not reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz by just before midnight on Monday night. However, in a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said he would delay the strikes by five days following "very good and productive conversations" with Tehran over the previous two days. Coalition leaders are due to meet this evening to discuss a package of measures to help with the rise in energy and fuel prices caused by the US and Israel's war in Iran. That package of measures is set to be announced tomorrow. This morning, Mr Martin was in Walkinstown, Dublin as he and Housing Minister James Browne announced plans for the Land Development Agency (LDA) and the O'Flynn Group to deliver 542 new homes in the area. Speaking to reporters, Mr Martin said: "I welcome the announcement by the American president that they have postponed any attacks on Iranian oil and gas infrastructure. "It's critical that spreads across the region. It's critical that the war ends." Following Mr Trump's announcement, crude oil prices dropped, with Brent crude oil falling by up to 10pc, later settling at around 8pc lower at just under $104 a barrel. Asked if this would affect the Government's plans, Mr Martin said they are looking at "temporary, targeted measures". He said rising fuel prices have "already had an impact on people", but said he would not get "into specifics" about whether Monday's drop in oil prices would affect the planned supports. "The figures are volatile, we know that," he said. "They've been up and down." The Taoiseach also said there needed to be "a more sustained engagement with the haulage industry". He was addressing reports that hauliers had said short-term measures would not help their sector, which he described as "a key part" of Irish trade. Mr Martin said the plans being announced on Tuesday need to be "measured and informed". He added: "I feel we do need a set of proposals to deal with the haulage industry in the long term, to make sure that it's a viable, sustainable industry." PA Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Housing, James Browne with Micheal Flynn, founder and CEO of O’Flynn Group and John Coleman CEO of LDA as they officially announces plans for the delivery of 542 new homes in Dublin 12. Stephen Collins/Collins Photos Rory Tevlin EU welcomes Trump postponing strikes on Iranian power plants EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has welcomed US President Donald Trump's announcement that there will be no attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure. Kallas, who was meeting with Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar in Abuja, said that attacks on infrastructure were causing chaos in the region and escalating this war even further. Trump said on Monday he had given orders to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days. Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump. Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Rory Tevlin British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says war in Iran could go on for 'some time' Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Starmer said that “we have got to plan for the possibility that the Middle East conflict could go on for some time”. He reassures that the UK has not got any “meaningful concerns” about energy supply. He says the government was made aware of talks between the US and Iran. Reuters Reuters Denise Calnan Israeli military says it is still conducting strikes in Tehran The Israeli military said on Monday it is conducting strikes in Tehran, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran had held talks and that he would postpone any strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure. Reuters Denise Calnan LATEST: Dollar lurches lower after Trump halts strikes on Iran energy assets for five days - Dollar initially drops after Trump postponement - US stock futures rise more than 2pc following announcement - Market uncertainty remains despite positive initial reaction The dollar briefly plunged on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had asked the Department of Defense to postpone "any and all" military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social just hours before a deadline he had set for Tehran to "fully open" the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to destroy Iranian power plants in a further escalation in a conflict now in its fourth week. The dollar dropped by 0.7pc against the euro EUR= and 0.6pc against the yen JPY= immediately after Trump posted early on Monday morning U.S. time, before recovering some lost ground to trade lower on the day against both. U.S. stock futures jumped over 2pc, while the STOXX 600 .STOXX erased daily losses to turn positive. It was last up 0.7pc, having been down over 2.2pc in early trade. "This is clearly a positive development. The two sides are in discussions, and this is the first material sign of de-escalation that we have seen since conflict broke out at the end of February," Pepperstone strategist Michael Brown said. "The war is not yet over. While positive, it is only strikes on energy infrastructure that have been ruled out at this stage, presumably meaning that kinetic action will continue elsewhere, at least for the time being," he said. The Iranian embassy in Kabul said Trump was backing down from attacking Iranian energy infrastructure "after Iran's firm warning." Crude oil prices LCOc1 fell as much as 14pc to a low of $96 a barrel, before clawing back to around $100 to show a loss of about 5.4pc on the day. Iran's FARS news agency cited a source saying there were neither direct nor indirect communications with the United States. Strategists said the initial market reaction could fade, given the extreme uncertainty that is prevailing right now. "This says 'strikes on energy infrastructure'. What about the rest - do the Iranians twiddle their thumbs for five days, and what about Israel? There are so many questions here that are unresolved," said IG strategist Chris Beauchamp. "Yes, markets have reacted positively. But it doesn't change the fact that the Straits are still closed," he said. Harry Robertson and Amanda Cooper, Reuters