Is the U.S. in Talks With Iran to Potentially End the War?

Summary

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WSJ What’s News – PM Edition

Episode Date: March 23, 2026
Title: Is the U.S. in Talks With Iran to Potentially End the War?
Host: Danny Lewis (for The Wall Street Journal)

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the conflicting reports around possible U.S.-Iran negotiations to end the ongoing war. President Trump has publicly claimed that productive talks are underway, signaling a potential diplomatic breakthrough and a postponement of military strikes. However, Iran publicly denies such talks, leaving the true state of diplomatic efforts uncertain. The episode breaks down market reactions to these developments, the ongoing crisis at U.S. airports due to Homeland Security funding impasse, and other top business and political headlines.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.-Iran Negotiation Claims and Responses

[00:25–04:38]

• President Trump claims "productive talks": Early Monday, Trump announced postponement of U.S. military strikes on Iranian infrastructure, crediting momentum from "productive" negotiations between Washington and Tehran. He outlined tentative points of agreement, including a prohibition on Iranian nuclear weapons and regime change.

  "He said talks would continue today. He told reporters there were several points of agreement between the US And Iran over a potential deal to end the war." – Danny Lewis (00:59)

• Iran denies direct talks: Iranian officials categorically dismissed any direct negotiations with the U.S., instead acknowledging that Gulf countries are seeking diplomacy. Arab intermediaries are playing a key role.

  "The Iranians denied any talks at all, but suggested that Gulf partners have been in with both sides and that seems to be where the talks are playing out." – Alex Leary (02:13)

• Change in U.S. approach: Over the weekend, Trump had threatened forceful action against Iran, especially if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened. His tone has since shifted from confrontation to negotiation.

  "Trump was very much in an aggressive posture over the weekend, and here comes now where he's talking about de-escalating this and having talks and really seeking a way out." – Alex Leary (02:49)

• Complexity and skepticism: Despite the apparent shift, negotiation details remain vague and numerous challenges persist—including Iran’s high demands for ending hostilities, the war’s intensity, and risks faced by Gulf states.

  "This is definitely the most concrete, though...a lot of details remain unsettled and unknown." – Alex Leary (03:04) "Iran has set a high bar for ending hostilities. What does that mean for a potential deal? The challenges remain immense here." – Pierre Biennomme and Alex Leary (04:07)

2. Market Reaction to Diplomacy News

[04:38–05:50]

• Immediate market turnaround: Following Trump's statement, U.S. stock futures rapidly shifted from losses to significant gains, while oil prices plummeted.

  "S and P futures actually flipped from a 0.7% loss to a 2.5% gain on the day in a matter of literally five minutes. Oil prices did the opposite." – Hannah Aaron Lange (04:55)

• Winners and volatility: Major indices rallied over 1%. Airlines and other heavy energy users saw their stocks jump, but energy markets remain fragile and could see ongoing volatility.

  "Some of the biggest winners today are fuel guzzling industrial companies like airlines...we may not exactly be back to normal in the energy markets and we might see more market volatility until we get there." – Hannah Aaron Lange (05:50)

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3. U.S. Homeland Security & Airport Security Crisis

[07:04–08:48]

• LaGuardia runway crash: LaGuardia Airport reopened after a fatal runway collision, sparking broader concerns about airport safety.

• Long security lines and ICE deployment: Funding for the Department of Homeland Security has lapsed, except for ICE, causing severe TSA staffing shortages. ICE agents have been deployed to airports for crowd control, though they are not directly assisting with screenings.

  "TSA officers are working without paychecks because of lapsed funding. For the Department of Homeland Security...ICE remains fully operational...They don't seem to be doing that much...Mostly seemed to be giving people directions on where to stand." – Danny Lewis & Cam McWhirter (07:59)

• Stalemate in DHS funding: Trump has rejected a compromise funding plan, holding out for legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote (the SAVE America Act).

  "Only settle if you get the Save America Act, voter ID and so important, proof of citizenship." – President Trump (09:16)

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4. Other Notable Headlines & Policy Developments

[09:16–end]

• Supreme Court and Mail-In Ballots: The court appears inclined to take a stricter stance, potentially blocking states from counting late-arriving mail-in ballots—a decision that could impact hundreds of thousands of votes.

  "A broad ruling from the court could stop states from counting hundreds of thousands of late arriving ballots." – Danny Lewis (09:36)

• Bipartisan Senate bill on prediction markets: New legislation aims to ban sports betting on prediction market platforms, fueling industry debate.

  "A Kalshi spokeswoman says such a ban would push the behavior offshore." – Danny Lewis (10:16)

• Hyundai Palisade recall: 69,000 SUVs recalled due to rear seat safety concerns after a fatal incident.

• Obituaries:

  • David Simon (Simon Property Group): Visionary mall owner, dies at 64.
  • Leo Radvinsky (OnlyFans): Entrepreneur behind the rise of OnlyFans, dies at 43.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:13] Alex Leary:

  "That was a surprise Truth Social post by President Trump early this morning. Sort of sent shockwaves across Washington and beyond..."

• [02:49] Alex Leary:

  "Trump was very much in an aggressive posture over the weekend, and here comes now where he's talking about de-escalating this and having talks and really seeking a way out."

• [04:55] Hannah Aaron Lange:

  "The reaction to the president's post this morning was pretty immediate. S and P futures flipped from a 0.7% loss to a 2.5% gain...in a matter of literally five minutes."

• [09:16] President Trump:

  "Only settle if you get the Save America Act, voter ID and so important, proof of citizenship..."

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Important Timestamps

• 00:25–04:38: U.S.-Iran negotiations; conflicting official statements
• 04:55–05:50: Market response to negotiation news; effects on stocks and oil
• 07:04–08:48: Airport security crisis due to DHS funding lapse
• 09:16–09:36: White House, Congressional standoff over DHS funding and voting law
• 09:36–11:15: Supreme Court voting case, prediction market bill, major recalls, obituaries

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This episode offers a concise but substantive survey of major U.S. policy, economic, and global security developments as of March 23, 2026. It captures the volatility and uncertainty in both geopolitics and markets, with direct attributions and a balanced journalistic tone throughout.

Transcript

[A]

It's the Paradise Podcast. I am your host, Ryan Michele Bathe with my husband Sterling.

[B]

What's up?

[A]

Join us here on Hulu and Hulu on Disney, where we'll discuss each episode with the cast and crew of Paradise. I'll be getting all the secrets from Dan Fogelman, James Marsden, Shailene Woodley, Julianne Nicholson, and Sterling Kelby Brown. Paradise. The official podcast is now streaming and

[B]

stream paradise on Hulu and Hulu on Disney. President Trump says there are talks with Iran and hints at an end to the war. But Iran says there's no discussions with the US On Wall street, investors tracked Trump's comments sending stocks soaring and oil tumbling.

[C]

So the mood has pretty much flipped entirely on its head. Last week it was, you know, let's buy energy stocks, let's maybe go back to our safe havens. The mood is different today. Folks want to take on a bit more risk because this is good news.

[B]

And the US supreme the Supreme Court appears sympathetic to Republican arguments against mail in ballots that arrive after Election day. It's Monday, March 23rd. I'm Danny Lewis for the Wall Street Journal, filling in for Alex Osola. This is the PM edition of what's the top headlines and business stories that move the world today. President Trump today said the US Military would postpone strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days for following, quote, productive talks between Washington and Tehran. He said talks would continue today. He told reporters there were several points of agreement between the US And Iran over a potential deal to end the war. Trump said a deal with Iran would prohibit nuclear weapons and involve regime change. He then said Iran wants to settle the war. Iran denied Tehran was in talks with the US but acknowledged countries in the region were trying to get diplomacy going. Arab officials say they have been talking separately with both sides, but that Iran has set a high bar for ending hostilities. White House reporter Alex Leary spoke with our colleague Pierre Biennomme.

[D]

Alex, what do we know about the current state of these negotiations? Who is leading them?

[E]

Yeah, it's still very much unclear. That was a surprise truth social post by President Trump early this morning. Sort of sent shockwaves across Washington and beyond, and we don't know exactly who is talking. The Iranians denied any talks at all, but suggested that Gulf partners have been in with both sides and that seems to be where the talks are playing out. Trump also mentioned that a top Iranian official is participating, but we don't know who that may be.

[D]

Saturday, the president threatened to obliterate power plants in Iran if they didn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This is a change of tone from the White House.

[E]

Absolutely. It's a jarring shift. Trump was very much in an aggressive posture over the weekend, and here comes now where he's talking about de escalating this and having talks and really seeking a way out.

[D]

How does this de escalation compare to anything we've seen in the war so far?

[E]

Yeah, this is definitely the most concrete, though. Again, a lot of details remain unsettled and unknown. They want to decapitate Iran's nuclear capabilities and get its enriched materials, et cetera. But it seems like a more concerted effort from the White House to get something done here. Trump is facing immense pressure economically and politically back home. So this represents a more major push if it comes to fruition.

[D]

And, Alex, you touched on this a little bit earlier, but what has Iran said about these negotiations so far?

[E]

They denied having any talks and sort of mocked Trump for trying to find a way out simply to satisfy and calm down US Markets. It appears that much of the talking is going on through intermediaries in the Gulf. These countries are desperate to find an end to this war. They are getting hit and fear additional retaliation, especially if Trump followed through on hitting Iran's energy capabilities. So they are trying to play middleman here. And it appears like there may be at least a crack in the window of making that happen.

[D]

But Iran has set a high bar for ending hostilities. What does that mean for a potential deal?

[E]

The challenges remain immense here. This is a decidedly intense war, much more intense than the US Thought, certainly Trump thought. And Gulf partners are getting pounded themselves and drawn into this. President Trump has said he was surprised that Iran would go after them. These are countries that the US has made strong economic ties with, and President Trump's very proud of that. So he's under pressure to deliver for his partners there in the Gulf.

[B]

That's Wall Street Journal White House reporter Alex Leary speaking with my colleague Pierre Bienname. WSJ markets reporter Hannah Aaron Lange says that despite conflicting signals from Iran, markets were cheered by the president's comments today.

[C]

The reaction to the president's post this morning was pretty immediate. S and futures actually flipped from a 0.7% loss to a 2.5% gain on the day in a matter of literally five minutes. Oil prices did the opposite. They declined immediately pretty sharply. Investors were really, really concerned about these attacks on energy infrastructure in the Middle East. That's the type of thing that could have a lasting impact on oil production. So some of the biggest winners today are fuel guzzling industrial companies like airlines. So United Airlines Airlines. Even with the President's post today, it can be difficult to kind of restore the flow of oil and gas exactly as it was before this conflict began. So we may not exactly be back to normal in the energy markets and we might see more market volatility until we get there.

[B]

That was WSJ markets reporter Hannah Aaron Lang. All three major U.S. stock indexes closed up by more than 1%, with the Dow gaining 631 points. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, traded below $100 a barrel for the first time in days. Futures settled down 11% to $99.94 a barrel. Coming up, President Trump has deployed ICE agents to airports across the country to help manage long security lines while the impasse continues over funding the Department of Homeland Security. That's after the break.

[F]

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[B]

New York City's LaGuardia Airport reopened this afternoon after the Runway collision between a fire truck and a plane we told you about this morning that killed two pilots and injured dozens of other people. Hundreds of flights at the airport were canceled today, and the National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to LaGuardia to investigate what happened. Regulators have worried for years about Runway collisions in the US Following a string of near misses. And at airports across the US Today, ICE agents deployed to help manage long airport security lines. TSA officers are working without paychecks because of lapsed funding. For the Department of Homeland Security, that's meant more absences and resignations leading to those long lines at some airports. While DHS has been largely shut down since February 14, ICE remains fully operational thanks to funding approved under 2025's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Reporter Cam McWhirter in Atlanta said the airport was incredibly busy today.

[G]

I'm here at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport. You have Homeland Security personnel here, heavily armed, carrying rifles and lots of sidearms. They don't seem to be doing that much. Most of the work in terms of dealing with these enormous lines behind me are being handled by airport officials and airline officials, airline staff, people handing out water, etc. To try to keep the lines people calm and keep lines moving. Mostly I saw Homeland Security standing around and walking around. They were manning this gate right behind me for a little bit. Mostly seemed to be giving people directions on where to stand directly line.

[B]

And as for what happens next, the Journal has learned that President Trump has rejected one proposed plan to resume funding the Department of Homeland Security and those TSA agents. The potential off ramp would have funded all parts of the department except for the agency that enforces immigration law. But Trump told Republican negotiators to hold firm until a spending bill is paired with legislation requiring proof of citizenship to vote. He told reporters today that that bill, the Save America act, is a priority.

[H]

When I announced yesterday about ice, the Democrats called we want to settle, we want to settle. And I told the people, don't settle, don't settle because we have something bigger. Only settle if you get the Save America act, voter ID and so important proof of citizenship, et cetera.

[B]

A spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said such a call never happened. Schumer said Trump was trying to sabotage negotiations, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune said linking the SAVE act with DHS funding wasn't realistic. Politically speaking of voting, the Supreme Court appears inclined to block states from counting mail in ballots that are mailed by Election Day but arrive a few days after. During a two hour hearing today, key conservative justices appeared sympathetic to arguments from the Trump administration and the Republican Party that all ballots must be in the hands of election officials by Election Day in order to count. The high court's decision is expected by this summer. Fourteen states have laws that allow a grace period for mailed ballots to arrive. A broad ruling from the court could stop states from counting hundreds of thousands of late arriving ballots. Turning to Capitol Hill, a bipartisan Senate bill introduced today would ban sports betting on prediction markets. It would apply to Kalshi and Polymarket's US Platform. Sports betting is popular on prediction markets, putting them in direct competition with FanDuel and DraftKings. A Kalshi spokeswoman says such a ban would push the behavior offshore. Polymarket didn't respond to a request for comment. And in autos, Hyundai needs to fix tens of thousands of Palisade SUVs with three rows of seats it's received reports of the automatic rear seats folding up and trapping people inside. And in one case, a toddler died earlier this month. Hyundai says it's investigating. The recall affects about 69,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. A software update for the folding system is expected by the end of March. The redesigned Palisade is one of Hyundai's most popular models. David Simon, who transformed his family real estate firm into the country's largest mall owner, died yesterday. He was 64 years old. During the more than three decades he spent as Simon Property Group's chief executive, Simon gobbled up competitors and defied critics who said malls were obsolete. His buying spree helped him cobble together an empire spanning 250 properties and 206 million square feet, giving Simon control of more retail space than anyone in the world, while his family became one of America's richest. Simon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2024, effective today. His son, Eli Simon, is the company's CEO and president, and the owner of adult content powerhouse OnlyFans has also died. Leo Radvinsky was 43 years old. The company says. Radvinsky had cancer. He bought OnlyFans, then an obscure British video platform, in 2018 and made it a giant of the online pornography industry with hundreds of millions of users. He was a reclusive billionaire who kept out of the spotlight and in recent years had been seeking to sell OnlyFans. And that's what's news for this Monday afternoon. Today's show was produced by Pierre Biennomme with supervising producer Tali Arbel. I'm Danny Lewis for the Wall Street Journal. We'll be back with a new show tomorrow morning. Thanks for listening.

[I]

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