Stocks fall as Trump pushes back Hormuz deadline

Iran has barred its national and club teams from competing in countries it calls “hostile”, citing security concerns.

This move has been taken at a time when Iran’s Tractor FC has to face the Emirati club of Saudi Arabia in the AFC Champions League.

Iran’s sports ministry said, “The presence of national and club teams in countries that are considered hostile and unable to ensure the safety of Iranian athletes and team members is prohibited until further notice.”

The Iranian ministry said football federations and clubs “will be responsible for informing the Asian Football Confederation about this matter in order to move the games.”

The ban also casts doubt on Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup games to be held in the United States. Iran has asked FIFA to move the games but the football body refused.

Meanwhile, tension remains after members of Iran’s women’s team sought asylum in Australia. Two players are still there; Others have returned to Iran.

Why do data hubs and undersea cables in conflict zones affect users beyond the Middle East?

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon is considering sending 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East.

The report also raises concerns that the war could escalate into a broader ground conflict.

The force will likely include infantry and armored vehicles, the newspaper reported, citing US Defense Department officials.

The new troops will include about 5,000 Marines and thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division who have already been ordered to the region.

US President Donald Trump says he will impose a moratorium on attacks against Iran’s energy facilities in April, insisting that talks with Tehran are “going very well.”

The announcement came as Trump for the first time threatened to increase pressure on Iran if it does not agree to the deal. He later posted that this break will last for 10 days till April 6.

However, Tehran says it is not involved in talks with Washington.

Despite Trump’s upbeat tone, Iran has continued to launch retaliatory attacks targeting Israeli and US targets as well as Gulf countries. It has also disrupted fuel exports by effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor that carries about 20% of global oil and LNG shipments.

Meanwhile, Wall Street suffered its worst day since the conflict began.

The S&P 500 fell 1.7%, the Dow fell 1%, and the Nasdaq sank 2.4%, putting the S&P on track for its fifth consecutive weekly loss, its longest decline in nearly four years.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Friday they had launched missile and drone strikes a day earlier against targets in Israel as well as Gulf military sites used by US forces.

Here’s a rundown of Thursday’s biggest headlines:

• US President Donald Trump said talks aimed at ending the war are ‘going very well’
• Trump lifts his moratorium on attacks on Iranian energy facilities for the next 10 days
• Iran continues to publicly insist it is not negotiating with the White House
• CENTCOM chief says an Iranian naval commander was killed in an Israeli strike
• Trump has criticized NATO allies while NATO chief Rutte has defended the alliance.

If you missed any of Thursday’s coverage of the Iran war, you can watch it here.