The White House says President Donald Trump will discuss leaving NATO when he meets with the military alliance's Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Rutte is expected to try to smooth over the Republican president’s anger with NATO over the Iran war at their Wednesday meeting. Trump had suggested the U.S. may consider leaving the trans-Atlantic alliance after member countries ignored his call to help reopen a vital shipping waterway that Iran effectively shut, sending gas prices soaring. Trump's meeting with Rutte comes as the U.S. and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes reopening the waterway, the Strait of Hormuz. Rutte met earlier with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Russia and China have vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The resolution, sponsored by Bahrain, had been repeatedly watered down because of opposition from Russia and China. The vote took place just hours before an 8 p.m. Eastern time deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for Iran to open the strategic waterway or face attacks on its power plants and bridges. One-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through the strait, and Iran’s stranglehold during the war has sent energy prices soaring.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed back deadlines for Iran to cut a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz. But his latest deadline for Tuesday came with his most perilous threat yet. Trump wrote on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight."  The Republican president initially set a deadline for March 23 but postponed it several times, now suggesting Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern will be final. Iran's state-run news agency reported Monday that it rejected a ceasefire proposal. Trump has threatened to attack bridges, electrical plants and oil wells if a deal isn't struck.

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an expletive-filled threat to escalate strikes on Iran if it doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz by his Tuesday deadline. It follows the U.S. rescue of an aviator whose plane was downed by Iran. Trump on Sunday promised strikes on Iran’s power plants and bridges. Iran shows no sign of backing down and has hit targets in Gulf Arab countries. Both sides threaten civilian targets. War crime concerns have been raised.. Diplomatic efforts continue with countries like Oman and Pakistan trying to mediate. The war now in its sixth week has already caused significant casualties and economic disruption.

Iran has fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states, demonstrating Tehran’s continued ability to attack. That comes even as U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed the threat from the country has been nearly eliminated. Iran’s strikes on its neighbors along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world’s energy supplies with effects far beyond the Middle East. Britain held a call Thursday with nearly three dozen countries about how to reopen the strait once the fighting is over. Iran responded defiantly to Trump’s speech to the American people a day earlier. A spokesman for Iran’s military insisted that Tehran maintains hidden stockpiles of arms, munitions and production facilities.

King Charles III will deliver an address to Congress during his visit to Washington in late April. Charles will become the first British monarch to give a speech to a joint meeting of U.S. lawmakers in more than three decades. The joint address was announced by congressional leaders on Wednesday. The lawmakers say the address is a part of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaring independence from Britain. The speech also comes at a time of friction between the two nations, which have since become close allies. Queen Elizabeth II was the last British monarch to deliver a joint address to Congress, in 1991.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf allies of the United States are urging President Donald Trump to keep prosecuting his war against Iran, saying the month of strikes has not weakened Tehran enough. That's according to U.S., Gulf and Israeli officials who were not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive diplomatic conversations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are pushing the hardest, with the UAE favoring a ground invasion. Oman and Qatar prefer diplomacy. Gulf leaders want big changes in Iran’s behavior, including ending its nuclear and missiles programs. Meanwhile, Iran is threatening Gulf neighbors' infrastructure if the war expands.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened widespread destruction of Iran’s energy resources and other vital infrastructure if a deal to end the war with Tehran is not reached “shortly.” On the ground Monday, Tehran struck a key water and electrical plant in Kuwait, and an oil refinery in Israel came under attack. Israel and the U.S. launched a new wave of strikes on Iran. Trump’s new threat in a social media post and earlier comments in an interview with the Financial Times that suggested American troops could seize the country’s Kharg Island oil export hub highlight a frequent tactic. On the one hand, he has repeatedly said that talks with Iran are going well, though Tehran denies negotiating directly. On the other hand, he has continually ramped up his threats.