The U.S. and Iran are giving very different accounts about war negotiations.

That's where we're starting the seven from the Washington Post. I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Tuesday,

March 31st. Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories.

President Donald Trump said yesterday that the U.S. is talking directly with Iranian leaders

about terms for ending the war.

He said talks were making great progress.

On Sunday, Trump also said that Tehran had agreed to many of the 15 demands he transmitted last week through Pakistani mediators.

But Iranian officials have denied virtually all of Trump's assertions.

A foreign ministry spokesman said yesterday that there have been no direct talks, only messages sent through intermediaries. And he described

U.S. demands as very excessive, unrealistic, and irrational. Those demands include an end to Iran's

uranium enrichment program and strict limits on ballistic missiles. As Iran and the U.S. present their

starkly different assessments of negotiations,

both sides have begun targeting each other's energy facilities in a significant escalation

of the conflict. The war has sent oil costs surging. Early this morning, average gas prices in the

U.S. spiked above $4 a gallon for the first time since the summer of 2022.

President Trump showed off new designs for his White House ballroom. That's number two.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday night aboard Air Force One,

Trump began with an update about hostilities in Iran, but he soon pivoted to a different

priority, his planned $400 million White House ballroom.

I don't do this now because it's easier. I'm so busy that I don't have time to do this,

but I'm fighting wars and other things. But this is very important because this is going to be

with us for a long time and it's going to be, I think it'll be the greatest ballroom. Anywhere

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