Middle East crisis Iran war

Trump's reminder: Iran has 48 hours to reach a deal

Iran has 48 hours to reach a deal with the US, or open the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump writes in a post on X.

"Time is running out - 48 hours before all hell breaks loose on them," he writes.

The post is ostensibly a reminder that Trump said on March 27 that he would refrain from targeting Iran's energy infrastructure for ten days. That deadline therefore ends on April 6.

Iran: New air defense used against US planes

Iran's military says a new air defense system was used to shoot down a US fighter jet on Friday, Reuters reports.

According to a military spokesman, the new system means that Iran "will most certainly achieve full control" of the airspace.

On Friday, two American planes were shot down over Iran. A total of seven American planes have been damaged during the five weeks of the war, according to CNN.

No details about the alleged new air defense system have been made public, and it is also unclear where it would have come from.

Expert: Very important for both the US and Iran to find the missing pilot

The US operation to find and rescue the pilot who is missing in Iran is very important for the US and Donald Trump's administration. This is what expert Laurel Rapp at the Chatham House think tank told BBC News.

The pilot is missing after an American F15 plane was shot down over Iran. The regime has promised a large reward to whoever finds the "enemy" before the US can rescue him.

According to Rapp, it would be a great victory for Iran if they find and capture the pilot. On the one hand, the regime could use a prisoner as a bargaining chip and on the other hand, it could worsen the Americans' attitude towards the war.

“This is a crucial mission,” she says.