Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Earlier in the Oval Office meeting, Trump suggested that oil prices will soon drop - an important message for his administration domestically.

Polls show that high prices remain a concern for many Americans and if people believe they are paying more at the petrol pump as a result of the conflict, it's likely to complicate matters for the US president.

Already, oil prices have inched up since the war began, and economists have warned they are likely to continue to do so if the conflict grinds on.

In the coming days and weeks, we're likely to see the administration address these concerns, which, together with fears of another messy regime-change exercise overseas could lead to backlash among the Trump's Maga base.

For the second time during this news conference, Trump is speaking about the US's relationship with the United Kingdom.

He says Spain has been "very uncooperative", and so has the United Kingdom, he says.

"Now the second one is shocking, but this is not the age of Churchill," he says, referring to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Referring to the Chagos Islands, again, Trump calls this a "stupid island... that they [the UK] gave away".

The UK "took a hundred year lease, having to do with perhaps indigenous people claiming the island, that never even saw the island before. What's that all about? They ruined relationships; it's a shame".

He says he "loves" the UK, but criticises UK energy and immigration policy, which he calls "horrible".

The press conference has now ended. Stick with us for the latest updates and analysis.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Trump has - not for the first time - directly blamed Iran for the deaths and wounding of American service members.

This is a theme that the White House has been pursuing for several days now, raising the memory of incidents that go back to bombings and kidnappings that took place as early as Lebanon's civil war in the 1980s.

In this instance, Trump seemed to be referring to a more recent conflict: the US war in Iraq that began in 2003.

During that conflict, Iran supplied a type of roadside bomb known as explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, to proxy militia groups operating against US forces.

While he claims that these accounted for 95% of US casualties, this appears to be an exaggeration. Later studies suggested they killed at least 196 US troops and wounded nearly 900, out of nearly 4,500 troops killed.

These weapons, however, were highly lethal and often led to amputations among US troops that were hit.

Typically, they consisted a metal cylinders filled with explosives and concave metal that turned into a high speed "slug" that could penetrate even heavily armoured vehicles.

Trump next says that the Iranian community in America is really pleased with the US operation against Iran.

"So many people said thank you, thank you, thank you. You see it in the streets of Los Angeles," he says.

Celebrations have been seen in Los Angeles, which is home to a large Iranian-American community, in recent days.

"The fact is that people are happy with what we did," he says.

He says that people in the city have pictures of him at rallies: "I see my picture; I say - oh no, it's another protest. And then I started saying - boy, they were very friendly people."

Donald Trump has just been addressing rising oil prices amid the US strikes on Iran.

"People felt it's something that had to be done," he tells reporters as he justifies taking action.

"So if we have a little high oil prices for a little while... as soon as this ends those prices are going to drop," he says, before adding "I believe lower than even before".

Trump chooses Merz meeting for strongest comments on Iran yetpublished at 17:23 GMT 3 March

17:23 GMT 3 March

Daniel Bush
Washington correspondent

US President Donald Trump has turned an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz into his most substantive live remarks yet on the war in Iran.

The strategy is in keeping with Trump’s approach since he launched the military campaign against Iran over the weekend.

Trump has foregone a major prime-time speech, something past presidents often did from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office to explain their rationale for going to war.

Trump is seated just steps away from that desk. But instead of an address to the nation, Trump is talking at length to reporters while Merz, who is seated beside him, looks on.

The White House hasn’t signalled any plans for a formal speech by the president on Iran. For now, it appears Trump is content with a more free-wheeling approach focused on social media posts and comments to the press.

Rachel Flynn
Live reporter

Image source, PA Media

President Trump has just reiterated his frustration with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, after he did not permit the use of UK bases for the initial wave of US attacks on Iran.

The United States had sought the use of the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, for those strikes but Starmer refused. He told MPs his decision was informed by history, saying "we all remember the mistakes of Iraq".

"President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest," he told MPs.

However, the situation changed on Sunday when Iran's "outrageous" response became "a threat to our people, our interests and our allies", the PM said.

Iran's retaliation to the US and Israeli attacks had threatened British people across the Middle East, prompting the decision to allow the bases to be used to hit Tehran's missile infrastructure, he said.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Just a few moments ago, Trump was asked whether he sees Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah, as a feasible option to run Iran in the future.

In response, the president was cordial, saying that while "some people like him", he believes a best-case scenario would be that "somebody already there" take over.

This is far from the first time that Trump has expressed skepticism about Pahlavi.

In an interview with Reuters in January, Trump said that he was unsure "how he'd play within his own country."

"I don't know whether or not his country would accept his leadership," he added. "Certainly if they would, that would be fine with me."

Trump's comments will likely raise alarm bells among Iranians hoping to restore the Pahlavi dynasty to the throne, nearly 47 years after it was overthrown by in the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

Other experts, however, have echoed Trump's assessment and questioned whether Pahlavi - who has been exiled since the revolution - could effectively take control and govern a country he has not seen in decades.

Chris Mason
Political editor

President Trump has said his most barbed thing yet about Sir Keir Starmer.

“This is not Winston Churchill we're dealing with,” the president said in a news conference alongside the chancellor of Germany.

President Trump said he was “not happy with the UK” because of the initial refusal from London to let Washington use the British base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean during its first strikes on Iran.

I am getting in touch with Downing Street for their reaction.

Trump is next asked about the response from other allies of the US.

He points out that he is particularly unhappy with the United Kingdom and Spain.

Referring to the UK's Chagos Islands deal, he says: "That island that you read about, the lease, for whatever reason, he made a lease of the island, somebody came and took it away from him.

"And it's taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land, it would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours.

"So we are very surprised. This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with," he says of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

As a reminder, the Chagos Islands - officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory - are located in the Indian Ocean and Britain has controlled them since the early 19th century.

Despite previously expressing support for it, Trump recently urged PM Starmer to scrap a deal that would see the UK cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius, and pay an average cost of £101m a year to lease back a joint UK-US military base on the largest island.

Trump leaves questions on Iran's future leadership unansweredpublished at 17:07 GMT 3 March

17:07 GMT 3 March

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

At his meeting with Friedrich Merz, Trump has again reiterated the administration's view that Iran was going to strike preemptively.

This has become, largely, the administration's primary justification for the start of hostilities.

Notably, Trump also seems to be of the opinion that Iran's retaliatory strikes on "somewhat friendly" countries in the Gulf appears to be backfiring and turning them against the government in Tehran.

Trump has so far provided no details on who he believes is governing Iran now, or who could next - appearing to confirm earlier reporting that "new leadership" was targeted today.

The US president is clearly convinced that from a military standpoint, the operation is going well.

But he seemed to acknowledge concerns that a new Iranian leader could be more hard-line than Ayatollah Khamenei and his supporters.

And - as far as a best case scenario - Trump seems to be suggesting that what happened in Venezuela can be replicated. There existing government structures remained in place after the capture of the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Trump's next asked what the worst case scenario that the US has planned for is.

He answers that the worst case is that "we do this and somebody takes over who's as bad as the previous person".

Trump goes on to say that they had some people in mind who might lead the country, but they are now dead.

"Pretty soon we're not going to know anybody," he adds.

The first question Trump's asked about the Middle East is if Israel forced his hand.

"No, I might have forced their hand," he responds.

Referring to Iran, Trump says: "We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion they were going to attack first."

"I didn't want that to happen," the US president says. "So, if anything, I might have forced Israel's hand."

Donald Trump begins the briefing by describing his relationship with Germany, which he says shares a "great affinity" with the US.

He's then quickly on to Iran, which he says now has no navy, no air force or air detection.

"Just about everything's been knocked out," Trump says.

He adds that the pair will also be talking about trade deals.

Image source, Reuters

US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are now in front of reporters in the White House and are beginning their media briefing.

Watch live at the top of the page and we'll also bring you the key comments here.

The United States embassy in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, says it "will be closed until further notice".

"All other regular and emergency consular appointments have been cancelled," it says, adding that it will give an update when the embassy reopens.

Beirut, and parts of southern Lebanon, have been hit by Israeli strikes in recent days. Israel says this is in response to attacks from the Lebanon-based, Iran-backed militant group, Hezbollah.

The announcement follows the US closing its embassy in Kuwait until further notice and its diplomatic mission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after it was hit by a drone. The US also evacuated the Jordanian embassy yesterday after explosions were heard nearby.

The US embassy in Muscat, Oman, had put out a "shelter in place" order, but it has since partially lifted.

Malu Cursino
Live reporter

Image source, EPA

President Trump - says he has told Iran it is "too late" to talk, as US-Israeli strikes continue to target the country. He has also warned of an "imminent" Iranian attack in the Saudi city of Dhahran, which is a major centre for the oil industry.

We're expecting to hear from Trump, who's been meeting German Chancellor Merz at the White House today, shortly.

Inside Iran - 787 people have been killed in the country since the US and Israel launched their wave of strikes against Tehran on Saturday, according to Iran's Red Crescent.

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, has told reporters that Tehran is "doubtful about the usefulness of negotiation" with the United States.

Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, which mainly handles domestic flights, has also been hit by strikes.

Israel's military - a short while ago Israel's Defense Forces said they had concluded a large-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure in the Iranian cities of Tehran and Isfahan.

The country's Defence Minister Israel Katz has also announced that its ground troops will move in to Lebanon to "seize additional strategic areas" in order to "defend the border communities".

Elsewhere in the region - Iranian authorities have continued their retaliatory strikes, which have hit as many as nine countries in the Gulf. The United Arab Emirates says it has intercepted 172 Iranian missiles and 755 drones since Saturday. Qatar says they have no ongoing relations with Tehran, while Saudi Arabia condemns Iran's attack on the US embassy in Riyadh.

UK involvement - Prime Minister Starmer announced a short while ago that the United Kingdom is increasing its air defences at its base in Cyprus - RAF Akrotiri.

The UK is planning to deploy helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and also to send air defence destroyer HMS Dragon to the eastern Mediterranean.

It comes a day after the runway of RAF Akrotiri was hit by a drone, causing what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) described as "minimal damage".

The UK is increasing its air defences at its base in Cyprus by deploying helicopters with anti drone capabilities, the prime minister says.

Keir Starmer says the air defence destroyer HMS Dragon will also be sent to the region.

He adds that the UK "is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there".

The announcement comes after Iranian drone attacks on the British base on the island, RAF Akrotiri, in recent days - one hit overnight on Sunday causing "minimal damage", while another two were intercepted on Monday, according to a Cypriot government spokesperson.

We're expecting to soon hear from US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is in Washington DC on a White House visit.

Tap the watch live button at the top of this page to see what they say, and we'll bring you the latest lines as we get them.

Sam Harrison and Nick Triggle
Reporting from Heathrow Airport

Natalie Fleming was on holiday in Dubai when an emergency alert went off on her phone on Saturday.

“It just said get to a safe space. But it doesn’t tell you where is a safe space. What do you do? We went into the walk-in wardrobe in our apartment with all our luggage.”

Since then she has been trying desperately to get home and finally got on an Emirates flight to Heathrow on Tuesday.

Also on the flight was Jamie Browne, who had recently moved out to the United Arab Emirates with his young family.

He saw missiles being launched to intercept Iranian bombs. “We knew we had to get out then. It’s been a traumatic time. I’m really grateful to be back.”

Meanwhile, Linda got stranded during a stopover on her return from a business trip to India.

“It was terrifying. We could hear explosions. It was noisier in the mornings - then it would go quiet. It’s bizarre. You are in a tourist destination and then you are hearing explosions.

“I feel very lucky right now. Lots of people are still stuck there.”