What we know on Day 27 of the US and Israel’s war with Iran: Trump frustrated with Tehran and IRGC navy chief dead

By Jessie Yeung, Issy Ronald, CNN

(CNN) — Talks between the United States and Iran are ongoing — though both sides are describing things very differently.

US President Donald Trump kept changing tack on Thursday, initially saying Tehran was “begging” for a deal behind closed doors, before telling reporters at a briefing in the White House, “I don’t care” whether they reach one.

However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has refused to characterize the countries’ dialogue as a negotiation, instead calling it an “exchange of messages” and describing US overtures for talks as “an admission of defeat.”

Meanwhile, Israel said it killed the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy, a key figure behind the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

And the realities of war are hitting home in the US — with high public dissatisfaction, a new postal surcharge and bipartisan skepticism in Congress. The fallout from the global energy crisis is prompting some Asian countries to take emergency steps.

Thousands of people have been reported killed in the Middle East nearly four weeks after the US and Israel first bombed Iran, unleashing a tide of violence on communities in the region — with men, women, children and paramedics in Iran, Lebanon and elsewhere bearing the brunt of the bloodshed.

Here’s what to know on Day 27.

What are the main headlines?

• State of possible talks: The White House said talks with Iran are proceeding apace, even after Tehran did not immediately accept a 15-point plan to end the war. The US is working to arrange a meeting in Pakistan to discuss an off-ramp, two administration officials told CNN.
• Trump tells Iran to “get serious soon”: The US president shared his frustration on Thursday over Tehran’s approach to negotiations, warning that time was running out for a deal. “They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
• Iran’s response: Earlier, Foreign Minister Araghchi acknowledged that messages had been exchanged with the US through mediators, but he said that Washington’s shift in tone — having previously demanded Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” — amounted to an acknowledgment of failure.
• Key Iranian commander killed: The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy, Alireza Tangsiri, was killed in an Israeli operation, Israel’s defense minister said. Tangsiri oversaw the almost complete shutdown of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the US and Israel said.
• Global economy roils: Inflation is expected to rise in major economies such as the United States, India, China and Britain because of the war in Iran, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecast. Economic growth in Europe and Britain is also predicted to stall.
• Thousands killed: The vast majority of fatalities this past month are attributed to US-Israeli strikes in Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon. More than 1,750 people have been killed in Iran since February 28, according to Iran’s deputy permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization. Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed 1,116 people, included 121 children and 42 health workers, since March 2, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported Thursday.

What’s happening on the ground?

• Protecting key island: Iran has been laying traps and moving military personnel and air defenses to Kharg Island in preparation for a possible US operation to take control of the island, according to people familiar with US intelligence reporting. Any ground warfare will be far more “dangerous and costly for the enemy,” an Iranian army commander cautioned on Thursday.
• Another possible strait: An Iranian military source has warned that Tehran could open additional strategic fronts if the US and Israel undertake military actions against Iranian islands or attempt to pressure the country through naval operations. That could include the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The strait is a vital chokepoint for global trade, particularly oil and natural gas shipments.
• Strikes continue: Attacks are still taking place, with Israel’s military saying early Thursday it carried out a wave of strikes across several areas in Iran. There were reports of fragments and debris falling in two Israeli cities, too. And Persian Gulf nations continue fending off attacks, with the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait both reporting interceptions Thursday morning.

What’s happening in the US?

• Bipartisan complaints: Members of the House Armed Services Committee said they were unsatisfied with a briefing by Trump administration officials on the war, its objectives and timeline — the latest sign of growing angst even among members of Trump’s own party. The frustration arose as lawmakers are bracing for a supplemental request to fund the war effort and restock munitions used so far.
• Public opinion: A new set of polls released Wednesday shows high public dissatisfaction with the war. Some 59% of Americans think the US made the wrong decision in using military force in Iran, and 61% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the conflict, according to a new Pew Research survey.
• Timeline: The White House said Wednesday that the US timeline for the war is still four to six weeks and that it’s “too soon to say” if the administration is satisfied with new Iranian leadership.

What’s happening in the energy markets?

• Markets spooked: Oil prices rose and stock markets fell Thursday, reflecting investors’ anxieties over the length of this war, even as the US signals its willingness to talk. Brent crude climbed to almost $106 a barrel. Markets in Asia and Europe fell. Gas prices in the US fell slightly — by a fraction of a penny — for the first time since the war began.
• Emergency measures in Asia: In the face of a deepening energy crisis, several countries are taking emergency steps. South Korea asked its citizens to reduce their electricity use and for gas stations to cooperate with the government’s oil price cap. There was panic buying in Thailand after the government said it would reduce its subsidy on oil prices. And the Philippines’ energy market regulator said it had suspended the country’s wholesale electricity spot market until further notice.
• USPS fee: The US Postal Service will charge an 8% fuel surcharge on packages for the first time, adding to the costs for American consumers and businesses as a result of the war. The surcharge is temporary and will apply only to packages, not letters. Consumers and businesses will start seeing the fee on April 26.
• India’s cooking crisis: India is urging households to use more piped natural gas (PNG) in an attempt to allay the energy fallout from the war, which could transform cooking habits for tens of millions of people. Indian households rely heavily on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders as their primary cooking fuel, but much of this is imported from the Middle East. The country’s PNG supply doesn’t rely so much on imports.

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