NATO Rules Out Role in Iran War as Tensions Rise

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Mar 2026 23:36

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance has no plans to join the war on Iran, even as individual member states adjust their positions amid escalating tensions.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that the alliance has no intention of becoming directly involved in the ongoing war against Iran, while describing the US and Israeli military actions as significant.

In an interview with German broadcaster ARD in Brussels, Rutte stated that there are “absolutely no plans whatever” for NATO to be drawn into the conflict as a collective military actor.

Rutte praises US and Israeli strikes

Rutte characterized the US and Israeli operations as “really important,” claiming they were aimed at degrading Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.

He also claimed the campaign was intended to weaken Iran’s ability to acquire nuclear capability and reduce its missile capacity.

Despite this, he stressed that NATO as an alliance would not formally participate in the war, clarifying that any involvement would be limited to individual member states acting independently rather than through NATO structures.

Individual allies calibrate responses

Rutte’s remarks come as several NATO member states adjust their positions in response to the escalating conflict.

The United Kingdom has stated that it is not directly participating in offensive operations against Iran but has authorized the use of its military bases for what it described as defensive strikes targeting Iranian missile stockpiles.

In a joint statement issued Sunday, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France said they would take steps to defend their interests and those of their allies in the region. The statement indicated that such measures could include enabling what they described as necessary and proportionate defensive action to target Iran’s missile and drone capabilities at their source.

Germany has made clear that it will not take part in military operations against Iran, even as some Western governments edge closer to supporting US and Israeli actions targeting the Islamic Republic.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told Deutschlandfunk on Monday that "The federal government has no intention of participating," noting that "we also do not have the necessary military resources" to engage in offensive action. At the same time, he stressed that German forces abroad would not be left without protection, adding that “our Bundeswehr soldiers would defend themselves if they were attacked.”

For its part, the United Kingdom has agreed to allow US forces to use British bases for strikes on Iranian missile sites, described by London as a "defensive measure", and said it will protect regional allies from further attack, while maintaining it is not directly participating in offensive operations.

France has also indicated it is "ready… to take part in [the] defense" of Gulf states and Jordan, framing this as collective "self-defense" under international law. French officials, however, have voiced regret that the US-Israeli assault was not debated through multilateral institutions such as the United Nations.

Missile Sirens Will Never Stop in Israeli-occupied Territories, Iran Warns

Monday, 02 March 2026 4:19 PM

Rescue workers and military personnel operate at the scene of an Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh, occupied territories, on March 1, 2026. (Photo by AP)

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces has warned that missile sirens will not stop in the occupied territories as retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets continue unabated, issuing an evacuation order for settlers.

In a video message released on Monday, Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari provided an update on Iran’s ongoing Operation True Promise 4, which was launched after the illegal US-Israeli aggression and the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a grave violation of the country’s sovereignty.

The spokesman said the tenth phase of the operation involved the firing of Iran’s Kheybar missiles at the headquarters of the criminal regime in Tel Aviv, as well as military and security centers in Haifa, and several sites in East al-Quds, among others.

“We had already warned about expanding attacks on the bases, which are occupied by the aggressor enemies, and said that sirens would never cease in Israel,” he added.

He also advised Israeli settlers to immediately leave the occupied lands and stay away from military bases, security centers, and buildings belonging to the Zionist regime.

Earlier, as part of Operation True Promise-4, Iranian forces targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln with four cruise missiles, causing the aircraft carrier to flee to the southeast of the Indian Ocean, he noted.

Zolfaghari also said Iranian retaliatory strikes rendered the United States’ Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait out of service and destroyed American naval structure in the Arab country.

Meanwhile, he added, four Iranian drones hit the US naval base in Bahrain’s port of Salman and severely damaged its command and support section.

The IRGC and the Army launch fresh waves of massive missile strikes targeting strategic sites in the Israeli-occupied territories and US bases across the region.

Iranian missiles targeted three oil tankers belonging to the US and Britain in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and set the vessels on fire, according to the spokesman.

Two Iranian ballistic missiles were launched at a base where US military forces are staying in Bahrain.

Zolfaghari further said Iran’s Air Force jets successfully bombarded the US bases in the Persian Gulf Arab countries and Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region.

Additionally, he said at least 560 American troops have been killed and wounded in Iran’s retaliatory attacks.

The regimes in Washington and Tel Aviv started their unprovoked military assault on February 28. So far, at least 555 Iranian people have been killed in the terrorist airstrikes.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the criminal aggression by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on the US bases in regional countries.

'Israel' Bombs Al Manar TV, Al Nour Radio Overnight

By Al Mayadeen English

Al-Manar says its Beirut headquarters was hit by Israeli bombardment, as the Israeli occupation forces claim strikes on the Lebanese capital.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Beirut confirmed that Israeli occupation forces carried out a violent airstrike targeting the headquarters of Al Manar TV in the southern suburbs of Beirut, in addition to striking Al Nour Radio. Another raid hit a building in the Haret Hreik area.

Earlier, Israeli occupation forces had bombed several areas in the Lebanese capital. Hours before the attack on Al Manar, a building adjacent to Al Mayadeen's headquarters in the Jnah area of Beirut was also bombed.

Our correspondent had previously reported that a residential building threatened by the occupation in the southern suburbs housed a library and several shops, adding that the area has been subjected to multiple intense attacks throughout the day.

Earlier attacks on Lebanon

The new escalation in the Israeli aggression began during the early hours of dawn, with Israeli occupation artillery targeting the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab and Israeli raids hitting the towns of al-Shahabiya in Tyre District and al-Sultaniya in Bint Jbeil District, killing three civilians in al-Shahabiya and four in al-Sultaniya. Strikes also hit Burj Qalaway, while occupation forces simultaneously targeted Nabatieh, Adshit, Harouf, Toul, and Kfour. 

Along the southern border, Israeli forces targeted homes and surrounding areas in Yaroun, Aitaroun, and Khiam, as heavy artillery shelling pounded the border areas. An Israeli drone strike even targeted the center of Mays al-Jabal. In eastern Lebanon, Israeli warplanes flew at low altitude over the western and northern Bekaa valleys. 

As morning broke, strikes intensified across Tyre District, with Israeli warplanes targeting Qana, Hallousia, Mahrouneh, and Aiteet, while strikes hit areas between al-Taybeh and al-Qantara. Hadatha in the Bint Jbeil District also came under fire.

By mid-morning, the assault had broadened further. Israeli warplanes struck Ain Qana twice, Kawnin, Arab Salim, Mansouri, and Srifa, while raids targeted al-Majdal in the Tyre District for the second time. Also in the Tyre District, warplanes targeted Burj al-Shamali and Wadi Jilo, while Ma'roub was struck for the second time. Strikes also hit Jmeijmeh, Siddiqin, the area between Yanouh and Ma'rakeh, and the outskirts of Zarariya, Al-Hawsh, and Tayr Daba.

Hezbollah: Ongoing Israeli Aggression Cannot Go Unanswered

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Hezbollah Public Relations

Hezbollah says its strike on an Israeli military site was a legitimate defensive response to 15 months of ongoing Israeli aggression.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah affirmed that the continued Israeli aggression against the country over the past fifteen months cannot persist without response, stressing that confrontation remains a legitimate and defensive right in the face of ongoing violations.

In a statement addressing the latest developments, the Resistance said the Israeli assault on Lebanon has continued “through killing, destruction, bulldozing, and every form of criminality,” despite repeated political and diplomatic efforts aimed at halting the aggression and compelling the occupation to adhere to the ceasefire agreement and its obligations.

Hezbollah: Aggression cannot continue without response

The statement, released early on Tuesday, underscored that all attempts to curb the aggression through diplomatic channels have failed, warning that “aggression cannot continue without response”, and that assassinations and destruction “cannot go on unchecked”.

It emphasized that what is required at this stage is serious and effective action to put an end to the aggression “by all available means”, placing responsibility on concerned parties to intervene and halt the violations.

Hezbollah's statement was released amid the activation of sirens in multiple Israeli city settlements across occupied Palestine. Initially, Israeli media outlets reported that attacks were launched from both Lebanon and Iran; however, the Israeli military command said that the sirens were triggered due to the firing of ballistic missiles from Iran, adding that no rocket fire was detected in Lebanon.

Defensive response against military target

Meanwhile, the Resistance described its recent strike against an Israeli military installation as a defensive and legitimate act, carried out in direct response to the continued aggression against Lebanon.

It stressed that confrontation is a legitimate right under such circumstances and that the operation was driven first and foremost by national considerations, as well as by the right to restore security and stability to the Lebanese people and regions affected by the attacks.

The statement concluded by underlining that those concerned and responsible must act decisively to stop the aggression, a direct cause of the escalating situation in Lebanon.

'Any Ship Attempting to Pass Through Hormuz Will Burn': Jabbari

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Mar 2026 23:57

Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari threatens all vessels attempting to pass through the now-shut Strait of Hormuz, warning of the direct impact on oil prices.

Iran has officially closed the Strait of Hormuz, and any ship attempting to pass through will burn, Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari, the Advisor to the Commander of the IRGC, warned on Monday.

Jabbari further raised the stakes and said that Iran will prevent the export of oil from the region. "Not one drop of oil will be allowed to leave the region," he said, adding that oil pipelines may also be targeted, estimating a drastic rise in oil prices to "$200 in the coming days."

Oil benchmarks had already been hovering near multi-month highs amid tightening inventories and escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia, magnifying the market’s sensitivity to any supply threat. Since the aggression was launched against Iran, Brent crude surged, at one point climbing roughly 10–13% to between $80 and $82 per barrel, as investors weighed the risk that sustained hostilities could disrupt flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s state-run energy giant said Monday it has suspended liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after Iranian drone strikes targeted facilities at two of its main processing bases, skyrocketing global gas prices.

The Dutch TTF natural gas benchmark, Europe’s main LNG price gauge, consequently surged nearly 45% to above €46 ($54).

As nearly all LNG exports from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates transit through the strait, limited alternative routes are left since the passage was restricted. 

Hezbollah Drones Strike Israeli Ramat David Airbase

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Islamic Resistance in Lebanon

The Islamic Resistance says it launched drones at the Ramat David airbase in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah announced at dawn Tuesday that it launched a drone attack targeting Israeli military positions, stressing that the operation came as a response to the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon.

In a statement issued on March 3, 2026, Hezbollah said the operation came “in response to the criminal Israeli aggression that targeted dozens of Lebanese cities and towns, including Beirut’s southern suburb,” which it said resulted in the killing of dozens of men, women, and children, as well as widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and displacement of residents.

According to the statement, at 5:00 a.m. local time, the Islamic Resistance deployed a swarm of attack drones targeting radar sites and control rooms at the Ramat David airbase in northern occupied Palestine.

The Resistance said its operation was directed at military targets, contrasting it with what it described as Israeli attacks on civilians. It added that the strike was part of its duty to defend Lebanon’s land and people, particularly in light of the ongoing Israeli escalation and violations.

Aggression cannot go unanswered

Hezbollah affirmed earlier that the continued Israeli aggression against the country over the past fifteen months cannot persist without response, stressing that confrontation remains a legitimate and defensive right in the face of ongoing violations.

In a statement addressing the latest developments, the Resistance said the Israeli assault on Lebanon has continued “through killing, destruction, bulldozing, and every form of criminality,” despite repeated political and diplomatic efforts aimed at halting the aggression and compelling the occupation to adhere to the ceasefire agreement and its obligations.

The statement, released early on Tuesday, underscored that all attempts to curb the aggression through diplomatic channels have failed, warning that “aggression cannot continue without response”, and that assassinations and destruction “cannot go on unchecked”.

Dozens martyred

"Israel" has killed 52 Lebanese civilians and injured 154 others during the aggression on Lebanon, the Lebanese government’s Disaster Management Unit announced on Monday, adding that at least 28,500 have been forcibly displaced from their homes.

Moreover, the Israeli occupation launched six missiles in an attack targeting a building facing Al Mayadeen's headquarters in Jnah, Beirut, earlier tonight. 

In recent hours, Israeli occupation forces also struck branches of the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association, alongside five air raids on the Manshiyeh neighborhood in Beirut’s Southern Suburb, leveling three buildings completely.

Earlier attacks on Lebanon

The new escalation in the Israeli aggression began during the early hours of dawn, with Israeli occupation artillery targeting the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab and Israeli raids hitting the towns of al-Shahabiya in Tyre District and al-Sultaniya in Bint Jbeil District, killing three civilians in al-Shahabiya and four in al-Sultaniya. Strikes also hit Burj Qalaway, while occupation forces simultaneously targeted Nabatieh, Adshit, Harouf, Toul, and Kfour. 

Along the southern border, Israeli forces targeted homes and surrounding areas in Yaroun, Aitaroun, and Khiam, as heavy artillery shelling pounded the border areas. An Israeli drone strike even targeted the center of Mays al-Jabal. In eastern Lebanon, Israeli warplanes flew at low altitude over the western and northern Bekaa valleys. 

As morning broke, strikes intensified across Tyre District, with Israeli warplanes targeting Qana, Hallousia, Mahrouneh, and Aiteet, while strikes hit areas between al-Taybeh and al-Qantara. Hadatha in the Bint Jbeil District also came under fire.

IRIB Chief Says Tehran Compound Hit for Third Time in Months; Broadcasts Continue

Monday, 02 March 2026 10:55 PM

Peyman Jebelli, the IRIB chief.

The head of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Peyman Jebelli, has confirmed that parts of the organization’s central compound in Tehran were targeted in a fresh act of U.S.-Israeli aggression against the country.

Speaking in an interview with IRIB’s News Network, Jebelli said that broadcasts continue uninterrupted thanks to protective measures taken by the organization.

At the time of the interview, no casualties had been reported from the site.

According to Jebelli, this marks the third such attack in recent months, with the first strike occurred in June, followed by a second attack on Sunday that damaged sections of the IRIB facility.

Despite the latest strike, the IRIB chief emphasized that various measures have been implemented to protect infrastructure and ensure that broadcasting remains uninterrupted.

Jebelli stated that these repeated strikes prove the desperation of the aggressors, asserting that they view independent media as a primary threat to their psychological warfare against the Iranian people and their claims regarding internal division in Iran.

The regime’s actions show they do not want the truth to be seen, Jebelli remarked, adding that the targeting of a media headquarters is an attempt to silence a voice that challenges their narrative.

US-allied Fuel Tanker Attacked by Iran Still Burning in Strait of Hormuz: IRGC

Monday, 02 March 2026 7:32 PM

This handout photo released by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s official website Sepanews on February 17, 2026, shows a rocket being fired during a military exercise by members of the IRGC and navy in the Strait of Hormuz. (Photo by AFP)

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says a US-allied fuel tanker attacked in Iran’s retaliatory drone strikes is still burning in the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said on Monday that the US-allied Athens Nova fuel tanker was hit by two Iranian drones, and it is still on fire in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

It also provided an update on Iran’s ongoing Operation True Promise 4, which was launched on Saturday in retaliation for the illegal US-Israeli aggression and the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a grave violation of the country’s sovereignty.

In the fourth phase of the operation in the maritime arena, the IRGC said its Navy conducted “decisive and purposeful” attacks by firing 26 offensive drones and five ballistic missiles at fixed and mobile targets of the hostile US army in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the three countries of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain.

Iran

The American base "Arifjan" in Kuwait was hit by 12 drones in two stages, while the US Military Command and Control Center at the Manhad base in the UAE was targeted with six drones and five ballistic missiles, the IRGC said.

The remaining facilities of the US Navy in Bahrain were struck and destroyed by six drones.

The US and Israel waged the new criminal aggression on Iran some eight months after they launched unprovoked attacks on the country.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the terrorist strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on the US bases in regional countries.

So far, at least 555 Iranian people have been killed in the terrorist US-Israeli airstrikes.

Iran says at least 560 American troops have been killed and wounded in its retaliatory strikes.

IRGC Targets US Intelligence Centers, Military Depots in 11th Wave of Attacks

Monday, 02 March 2026 5:52 PM

IRGC targets US intelligence centers, military depots in 11th wave of attacks

The Iranian armed forces have started a new wave of extensive drone and missile attacks on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories and US assets in regional countries.

A late Monday statement from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the 11th wave of offensive attacks under Operation True Promise 4 had been launched by the naval and aerospace units of the elite force.

The statement said the “extensive and high-density operation” had targeted American intelligence centers and military support warehouses in the Persian Gulf region, the Israeli communications industries complex in the occupied city of Beersheba, as well as 20 locations in the occupied regions of Tel Aviv, West al-Quds, and Galilee.

It said the “brave sons of Iran's armed forces” had used more than 700 drones and hundreds of missiles to hit 60 strategic targets and 500 military locations linked to the United States and the Israeli regime since the start of the US-Israeli aggression on Iran on Saturday.

Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces warns that missile sirens will not stop in the occupied territories as retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets continue unabated.

The statement said the number of missiles and drones and the success rate of the attacks had far outpaced records seen during the 12-day war with Israel and the US in June 2025.

The IRGC said recent “brutal and terrorist” attacks on Iran that targeted citizens in hospitals, schools, and offices of the national media service (IRIB) had further strengthened their resolve and determination to pursue an all-out war against the enemies.

The IRGC has been carrying out retaliatory attacks on US military assets across the region and on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories since Saturday, when the US and Israel started the unprovoked war of aggression against Iran and assassinated Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Unlike US, Iran Prepared for a Long War: Larijani

Monday, 02 March 2026 4:34 PM

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Larijani (File photo)

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Larijani, says Iran did not initiate the current war, but it remains fully prepared to sustain a long-term conflict, unlike the United States.

“Iran, unlike the United States, has prepared itself for a long war,” Larijani stated in a post on the social media platform X on Monday.

Echoing historical precedents, Larijani added, “As in the past 300 years, Iran did not start this war, our brave armed forces have not engaged in a single offensive operation, acting solely in self-defense."

The Security Council chief pledged that Iran would “fiercely defend itself and its six-thousand-year-old civilization regardless of the costs,” promising that the enemies would “regret their miscalculation.”

Iran’s top security official says Tehran will hold no negotiations with the United States after Washington and Tel Aviv waged war against the country.

The remarks follow a fresh round of aerial aggression launched by the US and Israel on Saturday, marking a new escalation just eight months after previous unprovoked attacks on the Islamic Republic.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was assassinated in the first salvo of the terrorist attacks, even as Tehran was engaged in diplomatic talks with Washington over its nuclear program.

Iran swiftly initiated retaliation, launching coordinated barrages of missiles and drones targeting Israeli-occupied territories and US military bases across the region.

Iran's Resistance Continues as Planned Out by Sayyed Khamenei: Arafi

By Al Mayadeen English

Sheikh Alireza Arafi affirms that resistance policies remain unchanged during Iran's leadership transition.

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a member of Iran's Interim Leadership Council, affirmed Monday that the country's resistance against US-Israeli aggression is proceeding according to the path laid out by Martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Sayyed Ali Khamenei.

Speaking to Iranian state television, Arafi said Iran is navigating a "decisive phase," but stressed that the nation would prevail through unity and popular support.

"Without a doubt, the Iranian people will be victorious," he said, underscoring that the country's trajectory remains steady despite recent developments.

His remarks came a day after the Interim Leadership Council convened for its second meeting, following the announcement of its formation by Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

The council was established in accordance with Article 111 of the Iranian Constitution, which outlines the procedure for transferring leadership responsibilities pending the selection of a successor by the Assembly of Experts.

Constitutional transition under Article 111

Under Article 111, in the event of the death, resignation, or dismissal of the Leader, the Assembly of Experts is tasked with appointing a successor as swiftly as possible.

Leadership duties are currently assumed by a temporary council composed of the president, the head of the judiciary, and a jurist from the Guardian Council elected by the Expediency Discernment Council.

The current Interim Leadership Council includes Sheikh Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chief Justice Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei.

Larijani emphasized that constitutional mechanisms are proceeding without disruption, pledging national unity during the sensitive transitional period.

Arafi, a senior cleric born in 1959 in Meybod, has held prominent academic and administrative roles within the religious seminaries of Qom. He is also a member of the Assembly of Experts and was elected its Second Deputy Chairman in 2024. 

Iranian Drone Successfully Strikes US Embassy Compound in Kuwait

By Al Mayadeen English

Plumes of smoke were seen after a drone strike successfully targeted Washington's embassy compound in Kuwait, as Iran's retaliatory operations continue.

A drone strike targeted Washington's embassy compound in Kuwait, according to the New York Times, citing two anonymous US officials. Verified footage shows thick plumes of smoke rising from the vicinity of the compound. 

At the same time, an AFP correspondent reported smoke billowing from the impact site in the embassy on Monday, following a fresh wave of Iranian strikes, marking the third consecutive day of operations carried out by Tehran against US-Israeli interests in the region, as part of its response to the ongoing aggression on Iran. 

The US Embassy in Kuwait consequently issued a security alert urging the public to avoid the area, warning of the continued threat from missile and drone attacks, and advising American nationals to shelter in place, away from windows. 

Three US fighterjets shot down in Kuwait

Meanwhile, US Central Command said three F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were shot down, allegedly in "friendly fire", while supporting Operation Epic Rage over Kuwait. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense confirmed the incidents and reported no casualties.

Iranian state media, including IRNA, had initially reported that Iran’s air defense systems successfully downed a US F-15 fighter jet after it attempted to penetrate Iranian airspace. Iranian television further stated that the aircraft’s wreckage fell in the State of Kuwait due to the proximity of the engagement area to its borders. 

Iran's armed forces have been targeting US military bases across the region in retaliation for the US-Israeli criminal aggression on its sovereignty and people. The Ali al-Salem airbase in Kuwait has come under significant attack, with Kuwaiti authorities reporting interceptions at dawn. Debris, however, ignited a fire at the West Doha power station, and falling fragments caused minor injuries to two workers at the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery.

Iran Calls on IAEA to Condemn Fresh US-Israeli Attacks on Nuclear Site

Monday, 02 March 2026 2:53 PM

Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Reza Najafi (File photo)

Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Reza Najafi, has urged the United Nations nuclear watchdog to condemn a recent attack by the United States and Israel on Iran’s nuclear facility in Natanz.

Najafi made the appeal during the IAEA’s quarterly meeting of the Board of Governors in Vienna, Austria, on Monday.

He said Iran’s nuclear complex in the central city of Natanz had been targeted in US-Israeli attacks.

He said that condemning such attacks is an inherent responsibility of the IAEA Board of Governors, adding that failure to do so would further damage trust in the IAEA and undermine its credibility.

His remarks came as IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi pushed back against reports that Iran’s nuclear facilities had been struck in the latest wave of US and Israeli attacks on the country.

“We have no indication that any of the nuclear installations ... have been damaged or hit,” Grossi said in a statement to the closed-door meeting of the 35-nation Board of Governors.

However, Grossi acknowledged after the meeting that an attack may have targeted Natanz, saying, “There might be something there, but not significant or comparable” to attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June.

The IAEA had also declined to condemn those earlier strikes, with Iranian officials saying the agency had applied double standards under pressure from Western countries.

“Again they attacked Iran's peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday,” Najafi told reporters on the sidelines of the Board of Governors meeting.

During the meeting, he said the IAEA’s failure to condemn the June 2025 attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites had emboldened the US and Israel to intensify their grave violations of international laws governing the protection of nuclear facilities.

Sudan’s Burhan Backs Gulf States After Iranian Strikes

2 March 2026

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani receives Abdel Fattah al Burhan in Doha on September 7, 2023

March 1, 2026 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan’s army chief and head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, held telephone calls on Monday with the leaders of Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait to pledge Khartoum’s support following a wave of Iranian missile and drone strikes across the region.

The diplomatic outreach follows a massive weekend offensive by Tehran, which targeted U.S. military bases and civilian infrastructure—including airports, hotels, and ports—across the Gulf. While regional air defences intercepted the majority of the projectiles, the escalation has pushed the Middle East toward a broader conflict.

In a statement, the Sovereignty Council said Burhan spoke with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to convey that the Sudanese government and people stand with Doha against what he described as “Iranian aggression.” Burhan emphasized Sudan’s “unlimited solidarity” with Qatar and affirmed Doha’s right to defend its territorial sovereignty and citizens.

The Sudanese leader also spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to assess the situation in Riyadh following the strikes. Burhan reiterated Sudan’s support for the kingdom’s stability, according to the council statement, which added that the Crown Prince expressed appreciation for Khartoum’s stance and praised the “advanced level” of bilateral relations.

The regional volatility follows a series of joint U.S. and Israeli air raids on targets inside Iran. Those strikes reportedly targeted the residence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed along with members of his family, triggering Tehran’s retaliatory barrage against U.S. allies and assets.

Beyond the Gulf, Iranian strikes also targeted Jordan, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, while Iranian-aligned Iraqi militias launched attacks on the U.S. consulate in Erbil.

Burhan extended similar messages of support to Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sabah Khaled al-Hamad َAl Sabah and King Abdullah II of Jordan, affirming Sudan’s “firm position” alongside its regional partners.

In Khartoum, Sudan’s Security and Defence Council – the country’s highest authority, which includes the prime minister and senior cabinet members – convened on Sunday to review the implications of the trilateral war between the United States, Israel, and Iran.

Following the meeting, Defence Minister Lieutenant General Hassan Dawoud Kabroun urged the United Nations Security Council to intervene to maintain international peace. He called for the international community to prioritize dialogue to halt the hostilities, which analysts warn could target critical oil infrastructure and continue for weeks.

ANC Joins Calls for Maximum Restraint Amid Middle East Tensions

2 March 2026 | 5:54

A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on March 1, 2026. Picture: FADEL SENNA / AFP.

The African National Congress (ANC) has joined calls for all countries involved in the ongoing tensions in the Middle East to exercise maximum restraint.

Over the past three days, airstrikes have taken place between Iran and Israel, with the United States (US) also heavily involved.

These airstrikes have resulted in Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, being killed.

In retaliation, Iran’s military has launched strikes targeting American bases across several countries in the region.

The conflict between Iran and Israel is now spilling over into neighbouring countries, with explosions heard across several Gulf states.

Reports indicate that Iranian forces have deployed drones targeting American military bases in Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The ANC said these developments demonstrate that conflicts threatening international peace cannot be resolved through military standoffs.

The party has stressed that lasting peace can only be achieved through dialogue, meaningful negotiations, and a genuine commitment to coexistence.

Meanwhile, the South African government has echoed this view, warning that continued missile exchanges will only escalate tensions further.

169 People Killed After Insurgents Raid a Village in a Remote Area of South Sudan

By DENG MACHOL

9:43 AM EST, March 2, 2026

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — At least 169 people were killed after insurgents raided a village in a remote area of South Sudan, a local official said Monday, It’s the latest bout of sporadic violence that has left the country teetering on the verge of full-blown civil war.

The victims, including 90 civilians, were attacked on Sunday in Abiemnom county, said James Monyluak, information minister for the administrative area of Ruweng.

He said women and children were among the dead, in addition to dozens of combatants.

The U.N. Mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, said in a statement that 1,000 people sought shelter at its base after the attack.

“Such violence places civilians at grave risk and must stop immediately,” Anita Kiki Gbeho, a UNMISS official, said in a statement. “I urge all involved to cease hostilities without delay and engage in constructive dialogue to address their grievances.”

“Our peacekeepers will continue to do everything within their capabilities to protect civilians seeking refuge at our base,” she added.

The UNMISS statement cited 23 wounded in the attack in Ruweng, as well as concern over “reports indicating that dozens of civilians and some local officials have lost their lives.”

The killings are part of an escalating wave of violence gripping South Sudan as government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir battle armed men who are believed to be loyal to opposition leader Riek Machar.

Stephano Wieu De Mialek, the chief administrator of Ruweng Administrative Area, said on Sunday that the assault was conducted by elements linked to the White Army militia alongside forces affiliated with Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition. Wieu described the attack as a coordinated and organized assault, calling it an act of rebellion.

In a statement, Machar’s group denied responsibility for the attack and asserted that it “has no military presence in the area concerned.”

Machar was Kiir’s deputy until September, when he was removed after he faced criminal charges. He is under house arrest in Juba, the South Sudan capital, as his trial progresses.

The U.S. is urging talks between Kiir and Machar.

Ongoing violence threatens a fragile peace reached in 2018 after a five-year civil war. After that agreement, Machar was named South Sudan’s first vice president in a government of national unity. A U.N. inquiry has found that South Sudan’s leaders are “systematically dismantling” that agreement.

Machar’s supporters say the charges against him for alleged subversion are politically motivated. His removal from office coincided with a sharp increase in violence.

The conflict escalated in December when opposition forces seized government outposts in the county of Jonglei, an opposition stronghold and a flashpoint in renewed fighting that the U.N. estimates has displaced 280,000 people.

Aid groups have warned that access restrictions to opposition-held parts of the state are endangering civilian lives.

The government has conducted a counteroffensive since January with aerial bombardments and ground assaults, despite an official commitment to the peace agreement.

Algerians Struggle to Afford Ramadan Feasts as Prices Rise Despite Government Pledges

12:03 AM EST, March 1, 2026

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — As Algerians fast, pray and gather for the holy month of Ramadan, a worry lurks in many minds: how to afford the holiday feasts this year.

In addition to its religious significance for billions of Muslims, Ramadan also means tables laden with rich and varied meals eaten after the muezzin’s call to break the fast at sunset.

Today, these feasts come at a cost beyond the reach of many Algerians, whose purchasing power has declined in recent years despite Algeria’s gas and oil riches, pushing more and more people below the poverty line.

Food prices have soared, and tensions at marketplaces now occasionally erupt into violence.

After Algeria was convulsed by nationwide protests in 2019, the government became concerned about broader social unrest and promised economic aid.

“In the 1970s, we didn’t earn much, but we could stock up for Ramadan and afford fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables,” Ahmed Messai, a retired railway worker, told The Associated Press at the Clauzel market in central Algiers.

On the ground floor of the market, the beating heart of commercial life in the Algerian capital, merchants’ stalls are well stocked with fruit and vegetables, displayed with enticing artistry.

But as Ramadan approached, prices climbed.

An older woman, clutching her traditional white haik garment, lamented onion prices going from 45 dinars per kilo to 100 dinars (35 cents to 77 cents) in two days. She hurled insults at an impassive vendor as he talked to her about profit margins. Carrots sell for 150 dinars per kilo, peppers 200 dinars and green beans 550 dinars.

The woman’s shopping basket remained empty.

The Algerian government has cracked down on Ramadan speculators, to little effect. At a special recent Cabinet discussion of Ramadan food supplies, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune vowed, “all conditions must be guaranteed to allow citizens to spend the holy month in perfect peace and without worry.”

Among his promises were government imports of 144,000 sheep and 46,000 cattle to make meat more accessible for Ramadan meals. Locally sourced mutton from Algeria’s High Plateaus, known for its flavor and aroma, as well as young cattle from the Kabyle mountains, have become prohibitively expensive even for middle-income professionals.

Civil society plays a key role in helping struggling families during Ramadan. Restaurant owners transform their establishments into soup kitchens or “mercy restaurants” serving free meals.

“It’s a good mechanism for solidarity and civic awareness,” said academic Hocine Zairar, “but the proliferation of this type of restaurant says something serious about our society: how poverty is gaining ground in our country.”

One of the largest mercy restaurant operations in Algiers is run across different neighborhoods by the Algerian Red Crescent. People fill rows of long tables inside a huge tent in a central square to break their fast. “The atmosphere is family-friendly and we serve up to 800 meals a day,” said Nour el-Houda Remdani, one of the organizers, as she walked between the rows of diners benefiting from the provisions.

Mercy restaurants used to be frequented mainly by singles, people without housing or travelers. But in recent years, entire families now fill these makeshift eateries.

Even the president acknowledged profound economic shifts in recent years.

“The middle class, once the pride of Algeria, is now being decimated by the crisis,” Tebboune said in an interview on Algerian television earlier this month.

Tebboune has also promised an increase in the minimum wage from 20,000 to 24,000 dinars, an increase in retirement pensions of 5 to 10%, and an increase in unemployment benefits for university graduates, from 15,000 to 18,000 dinars.

The average salary in Algeria is 42,800 dinars, the equivalent of approximately $330 according to the official exchange rate, and less than $235 on the informal market.

Professor Redouane Boudjema of the Institute of Journalism in Algiers said the government’s Ramadan aid measures represented an effort to ensure “social peace” and “absorb political anger stemming from restrictions on civil and trade union freedoms.”

Gunmen Kill at Least 15 People in Northern Nigeria, Amnesty Says

By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN

Updated 12:59 PM EST, March 1, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 15 people have been killed after gunmen attacked three communities in north-central Nigeria, Amnesty International said Sunday.

The simultaneous attacks occurred on Saturday in Tashan Maje, Saduro, and Runtuwa villages located in the Borgu area of Niger state, the rights group said in a statement posted on X.

“The gunmen invaded the villages ... on dozens of motorcycles shooting in all directions. They also ransacked shops,” Amnesty said.

The “horrific attack” is yet another indication that “people are constantly living on the edge and feeling helpless,” the statement said. It didn’t provide further details about the attackers.

Northern Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis featuring both Islamic militants operating in the northeast and armed criminal gangs kidnapping people for ransom who have wrecked havoc in the northwest and north-central regions.

Africa’s most populous country has been a focus of Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump said that the country wasn’t protecting Christians from an alleged genocide. The Nigerian government rejected the accusation, and analysts say that it simplifies a very complicated situation in which people are often targeted regardless of their faith.

In December, U.S. forces launched airstrikes on Islamic State group-affiliated militants in northwestern Nigeria. Last month, Nigerian authorities said that the U.S. is sending troops to help train the West African nation’s military in fighting extremism.

Last week, the police in Nigeria said that 38 people were killed and others were abducted in an attack in the northwestern state of Zamfara.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian military said on Sunday that it has “recorded decisive operational successes” against militants over the last 24 hours.

Twenty suspects were arrested and a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, logistics supplies, stolen crude oil, illicit drugs and rustled livestock were recovered in what the army described as “a relentless push to degrade terrorist networks and criminal syndicates nationwide,” the military said in a statement.

IRGC, Army Launch Fresh Waves of Missile Strikes Against Israeli, US Targets

Monday, 02 March 2026 11:20 AM

The IRGC announces that it has launched the tenth wave of missile strikes as part of Operation True Promise 4 in response to the ongoing aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Army have announced the launch of fresh waves of massive missile strikes targeting strategic sites in the Israeli-occupied territories and US bases across the region.

The IRGC said in a statement on Monday that homegrown Kheybar missiles were deployed in the tenth wave of massive precision missile strikes deep inside the occupied territories as part of Operation True Promise 4.

The statement stressed that the projectiles opened the gates of massive inferno to the usurping regime.

“Precision strikes on the regime’s administrative institutions in Tel Aviv, attacks against military and security installations in Haifa as well as areas in East al-Quds were among the objectives of the Iranian missile strikes,” the statement read.

It added, “We had earlier warned of plans to escalate attacks against enemy bases and the Israeli-occupied lands, and declared that sirens will never cease blurring across the occupied territories.”

The IRGC advised illegal residents of occupied lands to keep distance from military bases as well as security and administrative centers, and immediately depart from the territories.

Meanwhile, the Army said its missile units launched new attacks targeting US bases across the region on Monday.

In its statement, the Army announced that its land and naval missile units from various areas targeted the Ali al-Salem US airbase in Kuwait and enemy ships in the North Indian Ocean with the launch of 15 cruise missiles.

In its previous statement on Sunday evening, the Army announced that it targeted and downed ten advanced enemy drones in various parts of the country.

The total number of downed drones since the beginning of the war on Saturday has reached 22.

Iranian retaliatory attacks comes amid three days of aggression against the country, which has killed at least 555 people, including more than 145 children in a strike on an elementary school in Hormozgan Province in addition to Iranian officials, according to the Red Crescent Society.

The IRGC and the Army have targeted strategic sites in the Israeli-occupied territories as well as US-operated bases across West Asia, including the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, along with key installations in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their role in supporting aggression against Iran.

First US Fighter Downed in Past 27 Years: Iran Armed Forces Hit F-15 Near Kuwait Border

Monday, 02 March 2026 11:30 AM

Iran Armed Forces shoot down US F-15 fighter jet near Kuwait border

Iranian Armed Forces have shot down an advanced US F-15 fighter jet near the border with Kuwait – the first downing of an American fighter jet in the past 27 years.

“An F-15 fighter jet [belonging] to the intruding US army which intended to attack the country has been targeted by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Air Defense and brought down,” Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Air Defense Base said in a statement on Monday.

It added that the jet’s debris has been crashed in Kuwaiti soil.

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry on Monday confirmed the jet’s crash with its video footage widely being circulated in global media.

An American F-117 fighter jet was downed by former Yugoslavia during the Kosovo war some 27 years ago.

The IRGC announces the achievements of the latest waves of its Operation True Promise 4 in retaliation to the Israeli regime

No American fighter jet has been officially destroyed since then despite significant progress made in airplane technology.

Iranian retaliatory attacks comes amid three days of aggression against the country, which has killed at least 555 people, including more than 145 children in a strike on an elementary school in Hormozgan Province in addition to Iranian officials, according to the Red Crescent Society.

The IRGC and the Army have targeted strategic sites in the Israeli-occupied territories as well as US-operated bases across West Asia, including the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, along with key installations in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their role in supporting aggression against Iran.

Iran's Leadership Council Holds Second Meeting, Vowing Continuity

By Al Mayadeen English

Iran’s Temporary Leadership Council holds second meeting, as officials vow continuity following US–Israeli aggression.

Iran’s Temporary Leadership Council convened its second meeting on Sunday, after Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani announced its formation to assume the responsibilities of the Iranian leader pending the selection of a successor.

Under Article 111 of the Iranian Constitution, in the event of the death, resignation, or dismissal of the Leader, the Assembly of Experts is required to take the necessary steps as swiftly as possible to appoint a successor.

Council member and Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei affirmed that the body will carry out its duties fully during the transitional period, stressing that new commanders will immediately assume the positions of the martyred leaders, and that the “deceitful and treacherous enemy” will come to understand that the Iranian people will not surrender to terrorist and psychological measures.

Sitting on the council are Ejei, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Sheikh Alireza Arafi.

Formation after Sayyed Ali's martyrdom

The council was formed following the martyrdom of Iran's Leader, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli strikes.

Iranian state television reported that the leader of Iran, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, was martyred at his workplace while he was carrying out his duties in his office following the joint US-Israeli attacks in the early hours of Saturday.

According to Iranian state television, Sayyed Khamenei's martyrdom at his workplace once again refuted claims by "outlets linked to the Israeli regime and regional reactionary currents that the leader was in a secure and undisclosed location," affirming that he remained present on the frontlines of responsibility among his people.

Hezbollah Bombs Northern 'Israel', Occupation Bombards Beirut, South

By Al Mayadeen English

The Israeli occupation forces carried out extensive airstrikes targeting the southern suburb of Beirut and the country's south over a period of an hour, with the aggression affecting numerous areas in the densly populated neighborhoods without any prior warning.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon announced that it launched a salvo of missiles and a swarm of drones at the Mishmar HaCarmel air defense site south of Haifa late Sunday into early Monday, stressing that the operation was in retaliation for the assassination of Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei and in response to ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

Hezbollah said the strike targeted the Israeli occupation forces' air defense position near the occupied city of Haifa, framing the attack as a “legitimate defensive response” to repeated Israeli violations and assassinations.

The statement said the operation came “in defense of Lebanon and its people” and warned that continued Israeli aggression over the past 15 months would not go unanswered, stressing that the resistance reserves the right to respond “at the appropriate time and place.”

Air raid sirens sounded across wide areas of northern occupied Palestine early Tuesday, reaching as far as Haifa, the Carmel region, Safed, and Rosh Pina, amid conflicting Israeli assessments over the party responsible for the rocket fire.

Israeli media reported that sirens were first activated in the northern towns of Shlomi, Rosh HaNikra, and Shtula, before expanding to broader areas across the north. Alerts were later heard in Haifa and the Carmel area, and subsequently in Safed and Rosh Pina.

"Israel" bombs Beirut, Southern Lebanon

The Israeli occupation forces carried out extensive airstrikes targeting the southern suburb of Beirut and the country's south over a period of an hour, with the aggression affecting numerous areas in the densly populated neighborhoods without any prior warning.

There are no reports regarding casualties so far.  

Nine Killed in Sudan’s El Obeid as RSF Drone Strikes Intensify

28 February 2026

A hall at Kordofan University, El Obeid, destroyed by RSF strike attack on Feb 28, 2026.

February 28, 2026 (EL OBEID) – At least nine people were killed and several others injured on Saturday when drone strikes hit El Obeid, the capital of Sudan’s North Kordofan State, local sources said.

The attacks destroyed consumer goods warehouses and an oil production factory in a significant escalation of aerial operations in the region.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have targeted the city with daily drone strikes over the past few weeks, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and service facilities.

The intensification of the strikes appears aimed at obstructing the Sudanese army’s westward advance toward the Darfur region and preventing the military from repositioning or reinforcing its deployment across the Kordofan states.

Local sources told Sudan Tribune that a swarm of “kamikaze” drones struck various parts of the city as the army attempted to intercept the attack.

Nine fatalities occurred when a drone struck a crowd of civilians who had gathered to inspect the site of an earlier bombardment at El Obeid’s main market.

The strikes hit the city’s commercial hub, destroying warehouses, retail shops, and automotive repair workshops. One of the city’s largest oil processing plants, owned by businessman Osman Abdel Latif, was also destroyed in the raid.

The aerial assault triggered several fires and caused significant material damage, sparking panic among residents.

The repeated targeting of El Obeid signals a potential surge in military activity in the Kordofan region. The Sudanese army has utilized the city as a primary operations hub for its western campaigns.

Recent field movements from the city allowed the army to break the RSF’s siege on the towns of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan, marking a shift in the conflict’s trajectory in western Sudan.

Sudanese Army Evacuates Hundreds as Drone Strikes Intensify Near Ethiopian Border

28 February 2026

Displaced persons from Kurmuk arrive in Ed Damazin following drone attacks by the RDF and the SPLM-N on Feb 28, 2026-2

February 28, 2026 (ED DAMAZIN) – Sudanese army trucks evacuated hundreds of civilians from the strategic border town of Kurmuk on Saturday, as an escalation in drone strikes by paramilitary and rebel forces opened a volatile new front in the country’s internal conflict.

The displaced residents arrived in Ed Damazin, the capital of the Blue Nile region in Sudan’s far southeast, following two days of intensified aerial bombardment. Local officials reported that a combined force of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Joseph Touka, has been targeting residential neighbourhoods and infrastructure.

“The attacks forced citizens to flee toward Ed Damazin once again,” said Kurmuk Commissioner Abdel Ati al-Faki. He noted that approximately 80 families, totaling some 300 people, reached the capital on Saturday, joining nearly 1,900 others who have arrived over the past week.

The evacuation highlights the expanding geography of Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023. The Blue Nile region, which borders Ethiopia, had remained relatively stable until January, when the pace of fighting and drone strikes began to accelerate.

The RSF and its ally, the Touka faction of the SPLM-N—which is affiliated with the powerful Abdel Aziz al-Hilu movement in South Kordofan—are attempting to seize Kurmuk to control a vital corridor along the Ethiopian frontier.

The humanitarian situation for those fleeing remains precarious. Displaced families travelled roughly 150 kilometres (93 miles) along rugged, unpaved roads in army transport vehicles.

“The continuous flow of people is putting authorities under immense pressure,” said Ahmed Hussein, an official at the regional Ministry of Social Welfare. “There is an urgent need for shelter, food, and healthcare. Many are currently using local materials to build makeshift huts for protection from the sun.”

Regional Governor Ahmed Badi al-Umda condemned the strikes, stating that drones had hit a school in Geissan province and a power station in Kurmuk. He characterized the targeting of civilian infrastructure as a violation of international law.

Kurmuk and nearby Geissan have historically been focal points of Sudanese conflict. The towns were major battlegrounds for over two decades before the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement ended the war between Khartoum and the southern rebels led by John Garang. The current fighting marks a return to violence in a region that has changed hands multiple times since 1987.

Local authorities estimate that another 1,500 people remain stranded in Kurmuk, having previously fled fighting in the southern areas of Deim Mansour and Khor al-Boudi. Officials say these groups are currently seeking transportation to Ed Damazin as the frontline draws closer to the town centre.

South Sudan Faces Turmoil as Former Officials Arrested in Wave of Detentions

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir attends the swearing-in ceremony for Kenya’s new president William Ruto, at Kasarani stadium in Nairobi, Kenya on Sept. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga, File)

By JOSEPH FALZETTA and DENG MACHOL

11:55 AM EST, February 28, 2026

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — A former South Sudan finance minister is the latest former government official arrested in a wave of detentions that analysts say shows cracks in the government of President Salva Kiir, who also faces an armed rebellion.

The latest arrest came Friday when Bak Barnaba Chol was taken into custody while attempting to cross the border into Uganda. His arrest followed that of another former minister of finance and planning, Marial Dongrin Ater, who was fired in August.

In the past week, a former central bank governor, a former undersecretary for the ministry of petroleum, and a general in the domestic intelligence agency previously posted to the same ministry have been detained.

The exact reasons for the arrests remain unclear.

Government spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told local media outlet Eye Radio that the arrests were “not political” and were a “direct response to irregularities identified within the monetary system.” He said that a committee was investigating “financial malpractices.”

Edmund Yakani, a prominent civic leader, said Saturday that the mood in Juba was tense among politicians fearing detention. “So far, these arrests have mostly targeted financial institutions, but if the arrests carry into the security sectors it will be very dangerous,” he said.

Daniel Akech of the International Crisis Group said the arrests showed a narrowing of the president’s “big tent” coalition, which he has relied on for years to maintain control of a fractured political landscape.

The war in Sudan is hurting South Sudan’s economy, which is overwhelmingly dependent on oil exports. All of South Sudan’s oil flows through pipelines in Sudan.

Since the South Sudan war began in 2023, pipeline ruptures have at times put more than 60% of oil production offline. The World Bank estimates that South Sudan’s economy shrunk 24% in 2025.

In 2024, the International Crisis Group warned that the disruption of oil production could lead to much wider political violence as Kiir runs out of petrodollars “to keep South Sudan’s rivalrous generals and warlords on his side.”

The regime is already facing an armed rebellion. Opposition leader Riek Machar is under house arrest and on trial for alleged subversion, charges he denies. Many of his allies have since been arrested or purged from the government. Kiir suspended Machar as his deputy in September after Machar faced criminal charges.

Machar’s removal coincided with a sharp increase in violence. The U.N. estimates that thousands were killed in 2025 and 280,000 people have been displaced since December.

A U.N. inquiry has found that South Sudan’s leaders are “systematically dismantling” the 2018 peace agreement, signed to end a civil war and return Machar to a unity government with Kiir. Washington is urging peace talks again.

___

Falzetta reported from Nairobi, Kenya.

Iranian Armed Forces to Pulverize US Bases Across the Region: Pezeshkian

Sunday, 01 March 2026 2:53 PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. (File photo)

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that the country will not hesitate to destroy the military bases of the enemies in the region following a US-Israeli attack that assassinated Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

In a televised message released on Sunday, Pezeshkian said that the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei will not dent the resolve of the Iranian military to respond to US and Israeli aggression.

“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are also prepared with strength to take action to pulverize the enemies' bases, and will continue to be so. They will disappoint the enemies, as they always have,” he said.

The president said that the US and Israel will gain nothing but “shame” from assassinating Ayatollah Khamenei.

He said that a three-member council tasked with facilitating the transition to Iran’s next leader had begun convening, adding that the body would follow the path of the martyred Leader “with strength.”

“Based on Article 111 of the Constitution, the Provisional Leadership Council has commenced its work today and, by the grace of God, will powerfully continue the path of the late Imam (Khomeini) and the dear martyred Leader, as well as the path of all truth-seekers in the world,” Pezeshkian said.

The message came a day after the US and Israel started a new round of aerial aggression on Iran, some eight months after they launched unprovoked attacks on the country. Both attacks came while Tehran was engaged in diplomatic talks with Washington over its nuclear program.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the Saturday strikes by launching barrages of missiles and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases across the region.

Iranians Rally Countrywide to Mourn Leader’s Martyrdom in US-Israeli Aggression

Sunday, 01 March 2026 11:52 AM

Iranians gather at Tehran’s Enqelab Square on March 1, 2026, to mourn the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in terrorist US-Israeli aerial assaults. (Photo by Tasnim news agency)

Iranians across the country took to the streets on Sunday to mourn the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in terrorist American-Israeli aerial assaults.

In the capital Tehran, tens of thousands gathered at Tehran’s iconic Enqelab Square, carrying pictures and placards of the Leader as well as the national flag.

The mourners chanted slogans, such as “Down with the US” and “Down with Israel.”

They reiterated their support for the ideals of the Islamic Revolution, underlining the need for maintaining national unity and treading on the path of Ayatollah Khamenei.

Earlier in the day, the Iranian government declared 40 days of mourning and 7 days of public holidays over the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei.

The government expressed condolences to the Iranian nation over the tragedy, saying the crime will not go unanswered and will "mark a new chapter in the Islamic and Shia history.”

On Saturday morning, the United States and the Israeli regime launched a coordinated act of aggression against Iran, targeting dozens of cities in blatant violation of international law.

At least 201 people were killed and 747 other injured in the illegal airstrikes, according to an announcement by the Iranian Red Crescent Society on Saturday evening.

More acts of aggression were committed on Sunday in Tehran and many other provinces.

In response, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has so far launched multiple large-scale waves of retaliatory strikes against military targets across the occupied territories, including Tel Aviv, Haifa and other cities, forcing settlers to slip underground.

They have also targeted American occupation bases in the Persian Gulf region, including Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, the UAE and other countries.

Iran had previously warned these countries not to allow the American aggressor use their territory for any act of aggression against the Iranian nation.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution and many senior Iranian military commanders, including the chief of the defense staff and the IRGC commander, were martyred in Saturday's aggression.

Ali Laijani, Iran's top security official, has vowed that the country will make the Israeli regime and the United States regret their deadly acts of aggression on Saturday.

“We will make the Zionist criminals and the vile Americans regret their actions,” Larijani wrote in the social media post.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also strongly denounced the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, vowing that the country's armed forces will deliver such painful retaliatory blows that the enemies will beg for mercy.

“We will take revenge on the Americans and Israelis. You have crossed our red line. We will strike you with such terrible blows that you will beg for mercy,” Qalibaf said in a televised speech on Sunday.

Assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei ‘Open War against Muslims’: Pezeshkian

Sunday, 01 March 2026 12:48 PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in this file photo.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, is a declaration of an “open war” against Muslims, particularly Shias, across the world.

In a message on Sunday, Pezeshkian expressed his deep condolences over the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei, the great commander of the Islamic Ummah, at the hands of “the most wicked of oppressors”.

“This occurrence is the biggest test for today’s Muslim world,” he said.

“The assassination of the highest political figure of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a prominent religious authority of the Shia world by the vicious American-Zionist axis is considered a declaration of an open war against Muslims, especially Shias, across the globe,” he added.

The president emphasized that Iran steadfastly followed the path of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, under the wise guidance and leadership of the martyred Grand Ayatollah Khamenei for 37 years, and has become a “center” for fighting arrogance and seeking independence.

He said Ayatollah Khamenei was a “great and divine” leader who bestowed integrity and honor upon the Iranian nation and was a thorn in the side of the enemies of Islam and Iran.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran regards seeking retribution and taking revenge from the perpetrators and instigators of this historic crime as its legitimate duty and right and will make use of its utmost power to fulfill this big responsibility,” Pezeshkian said.

He wished for increasing synergy and coherence among Iranian officials and people to materialize the high ideals of the Islamic Revolution and promote justice and freedom in the country.

Ayatollah Khamenei was martyred in a terrorist attack by the Israeli regime and the United States on Saturday. The government cabinet on Sunday declared 40 days of public mourning and seven days of holidays following the Leader’s martyrdom.

IRGC Strikes USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier with Volley of Ballistic Missiles

Sunday, 01 March 2026 3:05 PM

USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. (File photo)

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says it has targeted the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles.

In its seventh statement on Operation True Promise 4, which was launched immediately after the latest Israeli-American aggression against the Islamic Republic on Saturday, the IRGC’s public relations office announced on Sunday that the attack was carried out as part of ongoing operations against American and Israeli enemy targets.

According to the statement, the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was targeted by four ballistic missiles successfully.

The IRGC added that the Iranian armed forces have entered a new phase of operations and warned that both land and sea would become a “graveyard for the aggressors.”

Further information about the operation will be released later, the statement said.

The aircraft carrier, which has been deployed as part of a massive US military buildup in the region, was targeted on the second day of a joint US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.

The Iranian armed forces began to swiftly retaliate against the aggression by launching barrages of missiles and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases across the region.

Iran had previously warned the Persian Gulf countries not to allow their soil to be used in any act of aggression against the country.

According to Iran's Red Crescent Society, more than 200 people have been killed in the enemy strikes so far, including more than 100 children, who were killed in an attack on an elementary school in the southern province of Hormozgan.

IRGC Launches Largest Barrage of Missile Strikes at Israeli Occupied Territories

Sunday, 01 March 2026 1:35 PM

Israeli police officers and paramedics at the scene of an Iranian missile impact in Beit Shemesh on March 1, 2026. (Social media)

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced the largest wave of retaliatory attacks against the Israeli-occupied territories on the second day of the joint US-Israeli war of aggression against the Islamic Republic. 

In a brief statement on Sunday, the IRGC said it has launched the seventh and eighth waves of Operation True Promise 4 as it vowed to take revenge for the blood of the martyrs, including IRGC chief commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour.

“With the grace of God, we will avenge the blood of the martyrs and defend the security, national interests and territorial integrity of the country,” the statement read.

The Israeli army radio reported that at least 38 missiles were fired from Iran toward the occupied territories. It described the operation as the largest wave of attacks by Iran.

The United States and the Israeli regime launched a surprise act of aggression against Iran early on Saturday as Tehran and Washington were engaged in indirect nuclear talks.

The residence of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was struck in the first salvo of the aggression, leading to his martyrdom and that of several members of his household.

The Iranian armed forces began pounding strategic sites deep in the occupied territories and Israeli and American interests across the region with ballistic missiles and drones as part of Operation True Promise 4.

Iran’s Army Commander Brigadier General Amir Hatami vowed on Sunday that the counterstrikes will continue until “the enemy receives a decisive response and is put in its place.”