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Gold prices plunge below $4,900 per ounce — market data

The precious metal lost 2.21%

MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. Gold futures with delivery in April 2026 drop below $4,900 per Troy ounce on Comex for the first time since February 17, 2026, according to market data.

The precious metal lost 2.21% to $4,897.3 per Troy ounce.

Gold futures continued declining later on. Silver futures with delivery in May 2026 lost 2.3% to $78.08 per ounce.

Oil prices to surge if conflict in Middle East lasts longer — Russian Foreign Ministry

"A further and higher spike is not ruled out if the contract lasts longer - $150; $200 per barrel were said," Maria Zakharova said

Top security official’s death will not affect Iran’s political system — top diplomat

Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure

SAS to cancel over 100 flights in Norway this week due to fuel prices

The company explained such measure by the conflict in the Middle East and high fuel prices

Trump says Europe unwilling to help US with Iran after American support regarding Ukraine

The US president met with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin at the White House

US may deploy up to 2,200 additional Marines to Middle East — CNN

According to the broadcaster, the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli is en route from a US base in Okinawa

Tankers start crossing Hormuz, White House says

It's a sign of how little Iran has left, Director of the US National Economic Council Kevin Hassett said

Mojtaba Khamenei is well and may soon deliver new address

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei announced the speech, adding "The Iranian people are determined to defend their homeland"

NATO supports Ukraine, not the US — Russian envoy

Kirill Dmitriev commented on a post on the NATO’s official account, which stated that it continues to support Ukraine

More than a dozen US-made MQ-9 Reaper drones lost in operations against Iran — TV

According to the officials, such drones cost $16 million each when purchased in a batch of four

US and Israel to lose Iranian war — Dotcom

US President Donald Trump has five options for dealing with Iran, including admitting defeat or starting World War III, the founder of the Megaupload file said

EU may be forced to practically accept potential transfer of Ukrainian territories — Stubb

According to the Finnish president, there is a need for "more flexibility in Europe"

Global economy cannot do without Russian energy, AfD leader says

Turning to the situation in the Middle East, Alice Weidel criticized the United States

FACTBOX: Russia hit by 206 drones overnight, injuries reported in Belgorod Region

As a result of the attack, five people were wounded in the city of Korocha in the Belgorod Region

US asks Turkey to guarantee S-400 systems will not come into operation — Erdogan

The deployment of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems will begin in April, Turkey's president recalled

Russia’s first robotic, unmanned systems test center opens in Moscow

According to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, the center’s main site is located in the Skolkovo Innovation Center

Delo Group expects cargo traffic growth via Far East

The task of Russia is to provide for logistical solutions in interests of Russian exporters and importers, Board Chairman Sergey Shishkarev said

Gasoline prices in US reach highest level since autumn 2023 — association

California has the highest prices at $5.54 per gallon

Slovakia won’t support EU Ukraine statement without Druzhba clause — Fico

"Slovak-Ukrainian relations are not a one-way ticket, where we owe them everything and the other side owes us nothing," the Slovak prime minister added

Conflict in Ukraine would have ended in day without Washington's help to Kiev — Trump

Ukraine had the best equipment in the world given by sleepy Joe Biden, the US president said

One Russian woman killed, 11 more Russians injured in accident in Phuket — newspaper

The police have launched an investigation into the causes of the accident

Israeli army no longer needs political approval to eliminate senior Iranian officials — TV

According to the TV channel, this will make it possible to speed up the decision-making process

Pentagon says Iran's space program "destructed"

Iran now appears to have no way of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the United States, head of the Northern Command of the US Armed Forces, General Gregory Guillot said

Russia to continue helping Iran — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova noted that Iran was facing terrible trials

EU agrees on 90 billion euro loan to Kiev breaking Hungary's veto — Bulgarian radio

On Tuesday European Council President Antonio Costa demanded that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban adhere to the decision adopted at the December summit, in which Budapest also participated

More than 500 ATACMS, Storm Shadow, SCALP missiles used by Kiev since start of SMO

French SCALP missiles are used significantly less often, in conjunction with the British ones

Iran’s nuclear weapons issue depends on new leader’s position — top diplomat

Iran’s nuclear doctrine has been a peaceful one, and Tehran has always sought to exercise its rights to benefit from peaceful nuclear energy, Abbas Araghchi stressed

Top US diplomat dismisses report of plans to remove Cuban president from power

Marco Rubio said that "many in US media keep putting out fake stories"

Lavrov, Fidan discuss Iran war, energy projects — Russian Foreign Ministry

Special attention was drawn to the absolute importance of ensuring comprehensive pipeline safety

German subsidiary of Russian pharma company announces bankruptcy due to sanctions

According to the report, the main cause of the bankruptcy were European sanctions against Russia and Russian tit-for-tar measures, which adversely affected the business

US officially states it has no information on Russia’s alleged aid to Iran — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov commented on a report by The Wall Street Journal that Moscow allegedly provided assistance to Tehran

US looking for alternative fertilizer suppliers — White House

Director of the US National Economic Council Kevin Hassett said the facility in Qatar covered somewhat about 20% of US needs

Pentagon plans to mass produce clones of Shahed drone — US undersecretary of defense

Emil Michael called the drones "a useful tool in the arsenal"

Putin pardons 23 women — Human Rights Council head

"At the meeting with the president, the issue of a possible pardon was raised," Valery Fadeyev said

Press review: Tehran pursues attrition as Trump delays China visit amid Iran tensions

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, March 17th

Iranian president vows to avenge death of Larijani

Earlier, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any country allowing its territory to be used by the US or Israel for aggression against Iran "is a legitimate target for Iran"

Putin to open several facilities in Crimea via video link

Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin will deliver a report

IAEA response to Bushehr NPP incident disproportionate — Russia’s envoy

According to Mikhail Ulyanov, the missile exploded 200 meters from an operational nuclear reactor

Rocket with Progress MS-33 cargo spacecraft rolled to Baikonur launch pad

The launch of the Progress MS-33 spacecraft is scheduled for March 22

USAID Inspector General’s office uncovers violations in $26 billion aid provision to Kiev

Adam Kaplan emphasized that contractors failed to provide required reports on time or at all

Tehran interested in peace proposals involving damage compensation — top diplomat

Abbas Araghchi pointed out that Tehran had conveyed its position to its friends

Czech, Slovak officials to discuss expert examination of Druzhba oil pipeline

Negotiations are scheduled for Wednesday in Prague

US administration seeks resignation of Cuban president — NYT

According to the newspaper, the step would allow to implement structural changes in the country’s economy

Ukraine’s military attacks Russia’s Belgorod Region with over 80 UAVs in past day

A man who stayed close to the car at the time of the drone attack suffered a mine blast injury and a barotrauma

Iranian soldiers write messages on missiles telling US to get out of Middle East

Iranian soldiers write on misseles that they will continue strikes until the last American soldier leaves the Middle East

Iran destroys hangars with US fighter jets at bases in UAE, Bahrain — IRGC

The strikes on US military bases in the Middle East will continue until US forces completely withdraw from them

Countering 56 countries waging terror: remarks by Russia's top security official

Sergey Shoigu said that amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the threat of terrorist attacks against critical infrastructure is becoming "even more imminent and widespread"

Russian plasma engine promises to make interplanetary travel magnitudes faster — expert

A prototype of the device was created at the Kurchatov Institute, after which its development continued at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

IN BRIEF: What we know about death of Iranian security chief Ali Larijani

Larijani’s son Mortaza and head of his security service Sardar Nejad was killed during the same Israeli air force attack

Russian forces improve positions in southern, eastern Konstantinovka — Pushilin

Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic says that the liberation of Konstantinovka would allow to advance toward the Kramatorsk-Slavyansk agglomeration from the south

US spending on war with Iran could exceed trillion dollars — The Intercept

The Pentagon said the US spent about $11.3 billion in just one week of its war on Iran

Martial law in Strait of Hormuz prevents US from supplying its bases — Iranian ambassador

According to Kazem Jalali, Iran is taking measures to disrupt the enemy’s logistics for its own security

US intends to take measures in relation to Cuba soon — Trump

The US authorities are really focused on this issue, the American leader emphasized

Ukraine to lose conflict due to shortage of soldiers — prisoner

He also added that the Ukrainian military command "feeds its soldiers with promises," assuring them of an imminent rotation in the Sumy region

Peruvian Prime Minister Miralles vacates office

Peru’s interim President Jose Maria Balcazar appointed Miralles, former Economy Minister, as Prime Minister on February 25, 2026

Moscow shares Trump’s view that European politicians not titans of their day — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov agreed that British PM Keir Starmer is no Winston Churchill, French President Emmanuel Macron is indeed no Charles de Gaulle

US intends to further ease sanctions on Venezuelan oil — Bloomberg

Additional steps could be announced this week

Talks on Ukraine could take place in Geneva, but it is not top choice — Russian envoy

Sergey Garmonin also noted that Geneva is not a preferred platform for Russia

Slovak PM Fico confirms no signs of damage to Druzhba oil pipeline

According to the Prime Minister, Ukrainian authorities are lying when they claim that the pipeline facility in Brody was damaged

Russian troops liberate two communities in Ukraine operation over past day — top brass

According to the latest figures, the Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,240 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours

UAE may join US efforts to protect Strait of Hormuz — Reuters

Diplomatic adviser to the UAE President Anwar Gargash also said that once the US-Israeli war with Iran ends, an arrangement would be needed to ensure that Iran cannot use its nuclear, missile or drone programs "to terrorize the region"

No EU money for Ukraine until Druzhba oil flows resume, Orban says

The Hungarian foreign minister noted that Brussels’ recent proposals to repair the transit route would not change Budapest's stance

Israeli army says Iranian minister of intelligence was killed in targeted strike on Tehran

The Israeli Air Force, acting on IDF intelligence, eliminated Esmaeil Khatib on Wednesday night

Russia's military to find solution to problem of drone dominance on battlefield — expert

Retired Major General Leonid Ivlev noted that the Ukrainian conflict has led to a leap forward in military art and constantly poses new challenges for the military-industrial complex

American sailors set fire to USS Gerald R. Ford to avoid fighting — Iranian army

On March 12, the US Naval Forces Central Command reported that a fire broke out on board the USS Gerald R. Ford

Trump says could have decided to withdraw from NATO without Congress

The US leader added that he was not currently raising the issue of withdrawing from NATO

Meteor releases energy of around 250 tons of TNT over Ohio — TV report

The meteor was reportedly seen above several states from Wisconsin to Maryland in the western United States

Fuel, power supply issues: situation in Cuba

The energy supply situation in Cuba has severely deteriorated as a result of a blockade on fuel shipments caused by unilateral US restrictions

Russia, Turkey confirm bilateral intentions of maintaining high-level contacts — ministry

On March 17, 2026, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held telephone talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey Hakan Fidan

Iranian authorities confirm death of Larijani, appoint successors

The politician died due to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran

Russia deeply concerned about growing tensions around Cuba — Foreign Ministry

Russia strongly condemns attempts at gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, intimidation, and the imposition of illegal unilateral restrictive measures

Trump postpones visit to China due to lack of strong negotiating position — expert

Alexander Shpakovsky noted that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz negatively impacted China's energy security, however, US military spending significantly exceeded China’s losses

Rubicon fighters are elite drone operators, feared by Ukrainian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo said the enemy is well aware of their capabilities

US allies reluctant to get involved in operation against Iran — Trump

The United States does not need the help of anyone, the US president noted

About 90 ships pass Strait of Hormuz since outset of Middle East escalation — AP

The latest passages through the Strait of Hormuz show the strait was "closed selectively against some traffic, while still functioning for Iranian exports and a narrow set of approved non-Iranian movements"

FACTBOX: Drone attacks kill one in Krasnodar, leave two minors wounded in Adygea

The attack also caused damage to three residential buildings

Mercedes-Benz registers 'Mercedes-Benz' trademark in Russia

The application for registration was filed with the Federal Service for Intellectual Property on September 10, 2025

Putin’s order on possible withdrawal from EU energy markets being worked out — Kremlin

The energy market is currently experiencing serious turmoil due to the war around Iran, Dmitry Peskov noted

Iran hits Israeli weapons company, Israel Aerospace Industries — TV

The Iranian army said Rafael’s weapons manufacturing center develops air defense systems such as the Iron Dome, Spike missiles and cyber technologies

EU intends to have Hungary’s ban lifted at forthcoming summit

The EU summit is scheduled to be held on March 19-20, 2026

EU experts arriving in Ukraine to assess Druzhba pipeline damage

The EU delegation is said to be in Kiev already and the EU mission in Ukraine deals with its plans and logistics

192 Israelis hospitalized over past 24 hours — Health Ministry

Since February 28, 3,727 people have been taken to hospitals

UK, EU no longer hide their anti-Trump sentiments — Russian envoy

According to Kirill Dmitriev, the masks have slipped

Press review: US, Russia may agree on Crimea as US, Israel differ on Iran war

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, March 18th

EU ban on Russian oil would seriously harm Europe’s economy — Szijjarto

The minister noted that amid a shortage of oil on the global market, Europe would find itself in the most vulnerable position compared to other regions of the world

Iran seeks complete end to conflict with US rather than ceasefire, says top diplomat

Abbas Araghchi stressed that it is in the interest of peace in the region that the issue of war in the region is resolved once and for all

Crimean resident detained for shooting rifle at police officers

The shooter was injured by return fire, the regional Interior Ministry reported

US national debt surpasses $39 trillion for the first time

According to projections by US experts, over the next decade the national debt will rise to approximately 120% of GDP

Strait of Hormuz to only be opened after conflict ends — Iranian authorities

A high-ranking representative of the Iranian authorities clarified that a possible diplomatic solution to end the war must include compensation for Iran and cessation of attacks on resistance forces in neighboring countries

US is preparing to end its military campaign in Iran — Bloomberg

The agency's sources indicated that they consider US President Donald Trump’s recent statements about the US having destroyed Iran’s military potential an exaggeration

Over half of Russians long for days of USSR — pollster

Experts believe that should a referendum on the Soviet Union’s future be organized today, two thirds of those polled would vote for its preservation

Russian Pacific Fleet ships depart from Indian port of Visakhapatnam

The press service said that during their stay in the Indian port, the ships’ crews enjoyed shoreside recreation

US faces political crisis over Iran war — magazine

According to a columnist for The American Conservative, the rise in oil prices on the back of the Middle East war "threatens to kick off a global recession"

Foreign ministers of Arab, Islamic countries to hold meeting in Riyadh on March 18

Information on which specific states will participate in the consultations has not yet been provided

Former Spanish Prime Minister supports stabilization of situation in Venezuela

Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero noted that the current situation in the country "represents the best opportunity to strengthen stability and political understanding"

Warsaw District Court to continue hearing case on extradition of archaeologist Butyagin

The hearing may be closed to the media

Tanker near UAE coast damaged due to air defense operation

The vessel received minor structural damage however all crew are confirmed as safe

Iran carries out strikes on four Israeli cities, US bases in Middle East

According to the IRGC, all US military bases in the Middle East, including the Al Dhafra, Ali Al Salem and Al-Azraq facilities, once again came under attack

Venezuela, Russia support multipolar world — Foreign Minister

Yvan Gil Pinto says that Venezuela and Russia are brotherly countries and strategic partners

Iran to revise rules for vessels passing through Strait of Hormuz after war — MFA

Abbas Araghchi said the countries on both sides of the strait – Iran, Oman and the UAE – should act as guarantors of security

IN BRIEF: Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant comes under attack

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev specified that the strike had hit the area near the office of the facility’s meteorological service, in close proximity to an operating power unit

France to never participate in operations to reopen Strait of Hormuz — President Macron

Paris will not do this under any circumstances, Emmanuel Macron said