[ANALYSIS] Iranian War Day 28: Trump extends pause; explosions in the region continue heading into the weekend

WHERE WE STAND:

• US President Trump announced a 10-day pause in planned strikes on energy plants to Monday, 6th April 2026 at 8 PM, at the request of the Iranian government, while he added that talks with Iran are going very well.
• US President Trump said that Iran asked him to extend the pause, and that in a certain sense, they have already won, while he added that Iran made a request to him through his people and had asked for seven days, but he gave 10 days because of the Hormuz 'gift'. Trump said Iran was very thankful, and he doesn't like it when they say they aren't speaking, as they are, while he stated they know where all the remaining Iranian leaders are, and the US has already won the war 'militarily'.
• Mediators said Iran hasn’t requested a 10-day pause on strikes on its energy plants and has yet to deliver a final response to a 15-point plan to end the war, according to WSJ.

US POSITIONING:

• An official from a mediating country told The Times of Israel that US President Trump appears to be leaning towards ordering a major US ground operation against Iran, with the US convinced Iran will buckle under pressure.
• The US is considering sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East, according to WSJ.
• A US senior defence official expects a decision to send 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East next week, according to Axios.
• US President Trump is weighing several options for dramatically escalating the war against Iran should his latest push for diplomacy fail, according to CNN. Pentagon officials are preparing for the next phase of the war, and have drawn up scenarios for deploying troops to seize various targets in Iran, and admin officials have debated ideas for extracting the enriched uranium buried within Iran’s nuclear facilities. Furthermore, officials also developed options for capturing Kharg Island.
• US Secretary of State Rubio said it is in the G7’s interest to help the US with the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio also said that “progress has been made” in negotiations with Iran but declined to get into the specifics of whom he’s had discussions with, according to CNN.
• The US Pentagon said it is deploying drone speedboats for patrols in Iran's war efforts.

IRANIAN POSITIONING:

• "Iran, in order to reach a decision to end the war, basically does not receive the right signals from the US", IRNA reported.
• Iranian President Pezeshkian said Islamic countries should stay united and not allow enemies to sow division and inflame the fire of war. It was also reported that Iran’s President explained that Iran seeks a complete end to the war and to achieve security and stability in the region.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi told UN Secretary General Guterres that Iran affirms its determination and will continue the legitimate defence of the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Araghchi also said they criticise the positions and demands of some unilateral parties on Iran to exercise restraint and stop the war, while he stated that preventing the passage of ships belonging to or linked to the enemy and its allies is a legal right for Iran as a coastal state.
• Iran's Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf said that no one has the right to issue ultimatums to Iran or Iranians, while he added that the vicious cycle of 'war-ceasefire-war' must end.
• Iran wants the US to dial back demands in the 15-point peace plan before starting any talks, according to WSJ, citing sources, while Iran is open to the possibility of talks but deems the US proposals excessive. It was stated that demands to dismantle most of its nuclear programme and end support to regional allies and cap its missile programme are excessive, while Tehran ruled out discussing Iran's missile program as a starting point to the talks and doesn't want to commit to ending enrichment of uranium forever. Furthermore, the sources said Iran also wants guarantees, preferably through a third party, that Israel and the US will not later turn around and attack again.
• Iranian officials were said to be interested in talks despite the announcement of their rejection of the US proposal, while mediators are pressuring Tehran to agree to a meeting with Washington in the coming days, according to Axios.
• Debate among Iranian hardliners over whether Tehran should seek a nuclear bomb in defiance of an escalating US-Israeli attack is getting louder, more public and more insistent, according to source reports. Sources said with the IRGC now dominant following the death of former Supreme Leader Khamenei, hardline views on Iran's nuclear approach are rising, although sources added there was no plan to change Iran's nuclear doctrine yet, and Iran had decided not to seek a bomb.

MILITARY / REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS:

• Israel shifted the focus of its air campaign from destabilising Iran's ruling regime to crippling its military-industrial base, as officials have become convinced President Trump could soon try to end the war, according to sources cited by WSJ.
• Iranian media reported explosions in central and southern Iran, while reports also noted explosions in Tehran, Kermanshah, and a bombing of a Revolutionary Guard headquarters in the city of Kashan, central Iran.
• Iranian Revolutionary Guard said they targeted oil tanks and depots and an Israeli army site in Ashdod. There were also reports of heavy explosions at US bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, missile attacks against US bases in the UAE, and an explosion reported at the US base in Erbil, Iraq.
• Iranian armed forces' new updated strategic plan warned that in exchange for any attack on Iranian islands, a special and unprecedented provision has been made for the UAE and Bahrain, which will be very harmful and instructive. Iran also added UAE's strategic and economic infrastructure to its targets and warned that the UAE's infrastructure is at risk in case of evil against Iran.
• Iran warned UAE and Bahrain hoteliers not to house American soldiers, or they will become legitimate targets.
• The UAE reportedly pushed for an international force to reopen Hormuz and told allies it would be involved in a multinational maritime task force intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to FT.
• IAEA Director Grossi warned that damage to Iran's Bushehr NPP could result in a major radiological accident affecting a large area in Iran and beyond.

THIS MORNING

• Explosions also reported in Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, SNN and Press TV report.
• Sources report explosions caused by an attack on American bases in Saudi Arabia, Tasnim reported.
• "Kuwait Ports Corporation: Shuwaikh Port was attacked by drones, which caused material damage without human injuries", via Sky News Arabia.