THE GUARDIAN: Rapidly escalating war enters fifth day and spreads as far as Indian Ocean with sinking of Iranian vessel off Sri Lanka
Israel has carried out a wave of airstrikes on Iranian security targets and Hezbollah in Beirut as Tehran threatened the “complete destruction of the region’s military and economic infrastructure” as the rapidly escalating war entered its fifth day and reached as far as the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka.
The Israeli military said it had hit buildings in Iran belonging to the Basij, the volunteer police arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), and buildings belonging to internal security forces. Police stations and IRGC headquarters in the Kurdish regions of north-western Iran were also razed by strikes, Kurdish media reported.
Iran’s security structures have been instrumental in putting down protest movements in the past, and the US has urged Iranians to overthrow the country’s government. Washington has also reportedly been exploring the possibility of using Kurdish separatist groups to invade parts of Iran and establish a safe zone in the predominantly Kurdish groups in the north-west.
The regional dimension of the conflict continued to expand, as Iran struck Gulf states and Hezbollah fired on Israel and Cyprus. Turkey said Nato air defences had intercepted a ballistic missile heading towards its airspace, and the US said it had sunk an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lankan authorities said at least 80 people had been killed and 23 rescued. There were thought have been 180 people on board. » | William Christou in Beirut | Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 04, 2026
'Iran Is Not Interested in Negotiating with Trump' - Iranian Professor Mohammad Marandi
Mar 4, 2026 | After the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and many senior figures in the government, Iran's military has responded with strikes of its own.
Five days into the war, retaliatory attacks have hit several Gulf countries with Iran targeting Western military bases and energy sites in the region.
Meanwhile, the strikes from the US and Israel continue to intensify with no signs of letting up.
We spoke to Mohammad Marandi, a professor at Tehran University, a former adviser to Iran’s nuclear negotiating team and close to the authorities there.
We asked how he thinks the Iranian military strategy is playing out.
Five days into the war, retaliatory attacks have hit several Gulf countries with Iran targeting Western military bases and energy sites in the region.
Meanwhile, the strikes from the US and Israel continue to intensify with no signs of letting up.
We spoke to Mohammad Marandi, a professor at Tehran University, a former adviser to Iran’s nuclear negotiating team and close to the authorities there.
We asked how he thinks the Iranian military strategy is playing out.
The War with Iran: An Expert Analysis
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Son Emerges as Leading Choice to Be His Successor
THE NEW YORK TIMES: If Mojtaba Khamenei is chosen by Iran’s senior clerics, it may signal a victory for hard-liners, an analyst said.
The senior clerics responsible for selecting Iran’s next supreme leader met on Tuesday to deliberate, and the son of the slain former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, emerged as the clear front-runner, according to three Iranian officials familiar with the deliberations.
The officials said that the clerics were considering announcing that the son, Mojtaba Khamenei, would be his father’s successor as early as Wednesday morning but that some had expressed reservations, fearing that it could expose him as a target for the United States and Israel. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.
The clerics, known as the Assembly of Experts, held two virtual meetings one in the morning and one in the evening, according to the officials. Israel struck a building in Qum, one of Shia Islam’s main seats of power, where the assembly was scheduled to meet and elect the new supreme leader, but the building was empty, according to the Fars News agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Vali Nasr, an expert of Iran and Shia Islam at Johns Hopkins University, said that Mr. Khamenei would be a surprising choice — and a potentially telling one. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Farnaz Fassihi has lived and worked in Iran, has covered the country for three decades and was a war correspondent in the Middle East for 15 years. | Tuesday, March 3, 2026
The senior clerics responsible for selecting Iran’s next supreme leader met on Tuesday to deliberate, and the son of the slain former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, emerged as the clear front-runner, according to three Iranian officials familiar with the deliberations.
The officials said that the clerics were considering announcing that the son, Mojtaba Khamenei, would be his father’s successor as early as Wednesday morning but that some had expressed reservations, fearing that it could expose him as a target for the United States and Israel. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.
The clerics, known as the Assembly of Experts, held two virtual meetings one in the morning and one in the evening, according to the officials. Israel struck a building in Qum, one of Shia Islam’s main seats of power, where the assembly was scheduled to meet and elect the new supreme leader, but the building was empty, according to the Fars News agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Vali Nasr, an expert of Iran and Shia Islam at Johns Hopkins University, said that Mr. Khamenei would be a surprising choice — and a potentially telling one. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Farnaz Fassihi has lived and worked in Iran, has covered the country for three decades and was a war correspondent in the Middle East for 15 years. | Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Tuesday, March 03, 2026
What Happens to a Regime When Its Figurehead Is Gone?
Iran’s Deployment of Shahed Drones into UAE Was a Strategic Mistake | Mick Mulroy
Mar 3, 2026 | “Most of our partners were on the sidelines. They wanted to see diplomacy work and they certainly didn’t want to be involved, and now they are involved.”
Iran’s strike using Shahed drones on Dubai was a “strategic mistake” as US partners will become more militarily involved in this fight, says former US assistant secretary of defence for Middle East Mick Mulroy.
Iran’s strike using Shahed drones on Dubai was a “strategic mistake” as US partners will become more militarily involved in this fight, says former US assistant secretary of defence for Middle East Mick Mulroy.
Monday, March 02, 2026
Iran Under Attack: War Widens across Middle East as Oil and Gas Prices Surge | BBC News
Mar 2, 2026 | Donald Trump has said he launched a war against Iran because it was the "last, best chance" to stop the country's regime.
Speaking at the White House for the first time since attacking Iran, the President said the US is continuing to carry out “large scale combat operations”. More than 1,250 targets have already been struck.
The Iranian Red Crescent said at least 500 people had been killed in Iran. Six US service personnel are confirmed to have been killed.
Iran has continued retaliatory missile attacks against US allies across the Middle East. Meanwhile Israel has launched multiple strikes on what it said were Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, warning that military operations won't end until the threat is fully removed.
Oil and gas prices have surged following the Israeli and US strikes on Iran, and retaliation by the regime which has forced shutdowns of oil and gas facilities across the region and disrupted shipping in the key maritime passage, the Strait of Hormuz.
There are warnings that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could lead to a sustained rise in oil prices, fuelling inflation and undermining global economic growth.
Clive Myrie and Reeta Chakrabarti present BBC News at Ten reporting by Jeremy Bowen, Sarah Smith, Jessica Parker, Chris Mason, Wyre Davies, Orla Guerin, Barbara Plett Usher, Luke Deal and Faisal Islam.
Speaking at the White House for the first time since attacking Iran, the President said the US is continuing to carry out “large scale combat operations”. More than 1,250 targets have already been struck.
The Iranian Red Crescent said at least 500 people had been killed in Iran. Six US service personnel are confirmed to have been killed.
Iran has continued retaliatory missile attacks against US allies across the Middle East. Meanwhile Israel has launched multiple strikes on what it said were Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, warning that military operations won't end until the threat is fully removed.
Oil and gas prices have surged following the Israeli and US strikes on Iran, and retaliation by the regime which has forced shutdowns of oil and gas facilities across the region and disrupted shipping in the key maritime passage, the Strait of Hormuz.
There are warnings that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could lead to a sustained rise in oil prices, fuelling inflation and undermining global economic growth.
Clive Myrie and Reeta Chakrabarti present BBC News at Ten reporting by Jeremy Bowen, Sarah Smith, Jessica Parker, Chris Mason, Wyre Davies, Orla Guerin, Barbara Plett Usher, Luke Deal and Faisal Islam.
Frappé au cœur, le régime iranien met le feu au Moyen-Orient
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Confronté à un risque existentiel, Téhéran opte pour la stratégie du chaos. Un choix qui pourrait se retourner contre lui en unissant ses voisins.
Le dos au mur, confrontée à une menace existentielle, la République islamique d’Iran opte pour la stratégie du pire. En attaquant ses voisins, elle s’emploie à plonger le Moyen-Orient dans le chaos. Cette guerre, qui a été déclenchée samedi par les États-Unis et Israël, a pour objectif de faire tomber le régime des mollahs, et menace de devenir un conflit régional.
Les frappes menées par l’Iran en réponse aux attaques conjointes des armées américaines et israéliennes indiquent, de la part de Téhéran, une volonté d’élargir le spectre de la bataille. Contrairement au dernier cycle de violence, au mois de juin 2025, quand l’essentiel des tirs de missiles et de drones ciblait Israël, l’Iran frappe tous azimuts, avec des attaques contre neuf pays : outre Israël et la Jordanie, ce sont l’Irak et ses voisins du Golfe qui ont été visés depuis samedi. Proximité géographique oblige, l’Iran entretient pourtant d’étroites relations avec ces pays : il partage avec le Qatar les immenses ressources gazières du North Field ; la population de Bahreïn est majoritairement chiite ; l’émirat de Dubaï, à la porte du détroit d’Ormuz, est connu pour servir de plaque tournante aux dirigeants iraniens. » | Par Guillaume de Dieuleveult | lundi 2 mars 2026
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Le dos au mur, confrontée à une menace existentielle, la République islamique d’Iran opte pour la stratégie du pire. En attaquant ses voisins, elle s’emploie à plonger le Moyen-Orient dans le chaos. Cette guerre, qui a été déclenchée samedi par les États-Unis et Israël, a pour objectif de faire tomber le régime des mollahs, et menace de devenir un conflit régional.
Les frappes menées par l’Iran en réponse aux attaques conjointes des armées américaines et israéliennes indiquent, de la part de Téhéran, une volonté d’élargir le spectre de la bataille. Contrairement au dernier cycle de violence, au mois de juin 2025, quand l’essentiel des tirs de missiles et de drones ciblait Israël, l’Iran frappe tous azimuts, avec des attaques contre neuf pays : outre Israël et la Jordanie, ce sont l’Irak et ses voisins du Golfe qui ont été visés depuis samedi. Proximité géographique oblige, l’Iran entretient pourtant d’étroites relations avec ces pays : il partage avec le Qatar les immenses ressources gazières du North Field ; la population de Bahreïn est majoritairement chiite ; l’émirat de Dubaï, à la porte du détroit d’Ormuz, est connu pour servir de plaque tournante aux dirigeants iraniens. » | Par Guillaume de Dieuleveult | lundi 2 mars 2026
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War Spreads across Gulf as Iran Hits Targets from Oman to Cyprus
Mar 2, 2026 | Israel has been under fire from Iranian drones and missiles through the day, shooting down the majority but taking more civilian casualties too.
The war has spread to Lebanon after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, with heavy bombing in Beirut.
Hopes of a rapid end to the war are receding as the rhetoric and violence escalate on both sides.
The US president and his Secretary of War said their military operation was ahead of schedule.
And whilst neither gave a timeframe for its end, getting rid of Ayatollah Khamenei has come at a price for America and its allies, from downed jets and spiralling commodities prices to the deaths of civilians and soldiers.
All the while, the truly achievable aims of the American and Israeli attacks remain unclear.
The war has spread to Lebanon after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, with heavy bombing in Beirut.
Hopes of a rapid end to the war are receding as the rhetoric and violence escalate on both sides.
The US president and his Secretary of War said their military operation was ahead of schedule.
And whilst neither gave a timeframe for its end, getting rid of Ayatollah Khamenei has come at a price for America and its allies, from downed jets and spiralling commodities prices to the deaths of civilians and soldiers.
All the while, the truly achievable aims of the American and Israeli attacks remain unclear.
Jeffrey Sachs: 'Psychopath' Trump Makes Bibi's Fantasy Come True
Qui était la princesse Ashraf Pahlavi, l’insaisissable jumelle du dernier chah d’Iran ?
MADAME FIGARO : PORTRAIT.- Diplomate et féministe, tantôt admirée, tantôt épinglée pour son train de vie excessif, la princesse iranienne fut tout sauf une princesse docile. Partie en exil à la chute du régime de son frère, elle survécut à une tentative d’assassinat avant de mourir en 2016.
L'Iran est à feu et à sang. Depuis la mort d’Ali Khamenei à la suite des frappes israélo-américaines, le samedi 28 février, le pays se divise davantage. Il y a ceux qui pleurent ce dernier, Guide suprême du régime islamique, et ceux qui, libérés, appellent plus que jamais au renouveau et au changement. La jeunesse iranienne n’a d’ailleurs pas attendu cette attaque pour descendre dans les rues et contester ses conditions de vie. Le 28 décembre dernier, l’image d’une jeune manifestante, immortalisée sous un ciel noir, les cheveux détachés, brûlant du bout de sa cigarette le portrait du chef, avait suffi à cristalliser cette rébellion. Dans ce pays de 90 millions d’habitants, dont la moyenne d’âge est de 32 ans, selon Le Figaro, l’espoir d’un nouveau dirigeant se concrétise enfin. Un nom circule d’ailleurs depuis longtemps dans les cortèges : celui du prince Reza Pahlavi, dit «Reza II», exilé aux États-Unis depuis plus de quarante ans. À 65 ans, il est l’héritier de la dynastie Pahlavi, qui régna jadis sur le pays, et qui se voulut plus moderne et progressiste. Son père, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, était le dernier chah d’Iran, dont le pouvoir a été renversé en 1979 au profit de la République islamique.
Mais derrière la figure du fils, c’est aussi toute une mémoire monarchique qui refait surface. Et, dans son sillage, le souvenir d’une femme ressurgit — sa tante, morte en 2016 — comme une ombre portée sur les manifestations et sur les femmes d’Iran: Ashraf Pahlavi, sœur jumelle dudit chah déchu Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, et pionnière, bien que controversée, de la cause féminine en Iran. » | Par Léa Mabilon | lundi 2 mars 2026
L'Iran est à feu et à sang. Depuis la mort d’Ali Khamenei à la suite des frappes israélo-américaines, le samedi 28 février, le pays se divise davantage. Il y a ceux qui pleurent ce dernier, Guide suprême du régime islamique, et ceux qui, libérés, appellent plus que jamais au renouveau et au changement. La jeunesse iranienne n’a d’ailleurs pas attendu cette attaque pour descendre dans les rues et contester ses conditions de vie. Le 28 décembre dernier, l’image d’une jeune manifestante, immortalisée sous un ciel noir, les cheveux détachés, brûlant du bout de sa cigarette le portrait du chef, avait suffi à cristalliser cette rébellion. Dans ce pays de 90 millions d’habitants, dont la moyenne d’âge est de 32 ans, selon Le Figaro, l’espoir d’un nouveau dirigeant se concrétise enfin. Un nom circule d’ailleurs depuis longtemps dans les cortèges : celui du prince Reza Pahlavi, dit «Reza II», exilé aux États-Unis depuis plus de quarante ans. À 65 ans, il est l’héritier de la dynastie Pahlavi, qui régna jadis sur le pays, et qui se voulut plus moderne et progressiste. Son père, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, était le dernier chah d’Iran, dont le pouvoir a été renversé en 1979 au profit de la République islamique.
Mais derrière la figure du fils, c’est aussi toute une mémoire monarchique qui refait surface. Et, dans son sillage, le souvenir d’une femme ressurgit — sa tante, morte en 2016 — comme une ombre portée sur les manifestations et sur les femmes d’Iran: Ashraf Pahlavi, sœur jumelle dudit chah déchu Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, et pionnière, bien que controversée, de la cause féminine en Iran. » | Par Léa Mabilon | lundi 2 mars 2026
US Urges Citizens to Leave Lebanon during US-Israel War with Iran | BBC News
Mar 2, 2026 | The United States has urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately.
It comes after the Lebanese health ministry said Israeli attacks in Beirut and southern Lebanon killed at least 31 people. Israel said it was responding to Hezbollah attacks.
"The security situation in Lebanon is volatile and unpredictable. Airstrikes have occurred throughout the country, especially in the south, the Beqaa, and parts of Beirut", the US Embassy in Beirut said.
Netanyahu seems to be having trouble trying to keep a straight face! How strange! — © Mark Alexander
It comes after the Lebanese health ministry said Israeli attacks in Beirut and southern Lebanon killed at least 31 people. Israel said it was responding to Hezbollah attacks.
"The security situation in Lebanon is volatile and unpredictable. Airstrikes have occurred throughout the country, especially in the south, the Beqaa, and parts of Beirut", the US Embassy in Beirut said.
Netanyahu seems to be having trouble trying to keep a straight face! How strange! — © Mark Alexander
Jeffrey Sachs: US & Israel Attack Iran - War Is Spreading Across the Region
Reza Pahlavi on the Future of Iran
Mar 2, 2026 | Prince Reza Pahlavi, a leader of the opposition to the Islamic Republic, discusses whether regime change is coming, who leads a transition, and nuclear weapons.
"60 Minutes" is the most successful television broadcast in history. Offering hard-hitting investigative reports, interviews, feature segments and profiles of people in the news, the broadcast began in 1968 and is still a hit, over 50 seasons later, regularly making Nielsen's Top 10.
"60 Minutes" is the most successful television broadcast in history. Offering hard-hitting investigative reports, interviews, feature segments and profiles of people in the news, the broadcast began in 1968 and is still a hit, over 50 seasons later, regularly making Nielsen's Top 10.
Ali Khamenei Never-before-seen Interview: "The West Does Not Know the Truth about Iran" | 60 Minutes
Mar 2, 2026 | In 1982, 60 Minutes travelled to Iran for a rare and exclusive access to one of the Shah's palaces, transformed into the headquarters of then President Ali Khamenei after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Ali Khamenei became Supreme Leader in 1989 and led the country until March 2026 when he was killed during an attack by Israel and the United States that hit his compound.
The 1982 60 Minutes programme with George Negus remains the Ayatollah's only one-on-one TV interview with Western media. The interview, conducted with a state-appointed translator, includes portions that have never been broadcasted previously.
Ali Khamenei became Supreme Leader in 1989 and led the country until March 2026 when he was killed during an attack by Israel and the United States that hit his compound.
The 1982 60 Minutes programme with George Negus remains the Ayatollah's only one-on-one TV interview with Western media. The interview, conducted with a state-appointed translator, includes portions that have never been broadcasted previously.
Sunday, March 01, 2026
Trump Open to Talks with Iran as Conflict Deepens in Middle East
THE GUARDIAN: US president signals willingness to engage with Tehran’s surviving leadership as strikes and retaliatory attacks intensify across region
Donald Trump said on Sunday he was prepared to talk to what was left of the Iranian leadership in the wake of the killing of the country’s supreme leader by US-Israeli air strikes aimed at overthrowing the regime.
Trump was speaking as a second day of intense bombing of Iranian cities and Tehran’s missile counter-attacks sent tremors across the region and through the global economy.
Oil prices jumped 10% to $80 a barrel for Brent crude, amid predictions that the continuing war could soon drive it to $100, after attacks on two ships largely choked off tanker traffic through the strait of Hormuz out of the Gulf.
Amir-Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the UN, told an emergency security council meeting on Saturday that hundreds of civilians had been killed or injured in the US-Israeli strikes. He said they had deliberately targeted civilian neighbourhoods in multiple cities.
The death toll is expected to climb after a second day of bombing. Iranian state media said that 165 people had been confirmed dead in a bomb attack on a girls’ primary school in the southern city of Minab on Saturday. » | Julian Borger in London and Jason Burke in Jerusalem | Sunday, March 1, 2026
Donald Trump said on Sunday he was prepared to talk to what was left of the Iranian leadership in the wake of the killing of the country’s supreme leader by US-Israeli air strikes aimed at overthrowing the regime.
Trump was speaking as a second day of intense bombing of Iranian cities and Tehran’s missile counter-attacks sent tremors across the region and through the global economy.
Oil prices jumped 10% to $80 a barrel for Brent crude, amid predictions that the continuing war could soon drive it to $100, after attacks on two ships largely choked off tanker traffic through the strait of Hormuz out of the Gulf.
Amir-Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the UN, told an emergency security council meeting on Saturday that hundreds of civilians had been killed or injured in the US-Israeli strikes. He said they had deliberately targeted civilian neighbourhoods in multiple cities.
The death toll is expected to climb after a second day of bombing. Iranian state media said that 165 people had been confirmed dead in a bomb attack on a girls’ primary school in the southern city of Minab on Saturday. » | Julian Borger in London and Jason Burke in Jerusalem | Sunday, March 1, 2026
Ayatollah Ali Chamenei, der oberste Führer Irans, ist tot
Guerre en Iran: les Iraniens célèbrent la mort de l’ayatollah Khamenei
LE FIGARO : Beaucoup redoutent cependant que l’élimination du guide donne lieu à une fuite en avant répressive du régime.
Le tyran est mort. Et avec lui, la peur est partie. « Je pleure, je pleure de joie ! », s’époumone cette résidente de Téhéran, contactée par messagerie cryptée. C’est la première fois qu’elle ose parler d’Ali Khamenei. Dans sa famille, partisane du régime, on a grandi avec une ligne rouge à ne jamais dépasser. « Le guide suprême était intouchable, une sorte de chef spirituel au-dessus de la mêlée. » Mais l’annonce, samedi soir, de son assassinat, a fait sauter un verrou. « Soudain, je me suis sentie libérée. J’ai grimpé les escaliers et j’ai rejoint les voisins sur le toit pour hurler : “Khamenei, c’est fini !” »
En cette nuit de samedi à dimanche, au terme d’une première journée de frappes israélo-américaines, les petites lumières des téléphones portables ont longtemps brillé dans l’obscurité : sur les balcons, les places publiques, les arrêts de bus, les trottoirs bondés d’hommes, de femmes, d’enfants. « Marg bar Khamenei ! (Mort à Khamenei, NDLR) », jubile l’un d’eux, en répétant le slogan d’usage dans les manifestations, sur une vidéo envoyée d’Ispahan. « Il est mort, mon chéri. Maintenant, tu peux crier “Azadi” (liberté) », lui répond sa mère en explosant de rire. » | Par Delphine Minoui | dimanche 1er mars 2026
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Le tyran est mort. Et avec lui, la peur est partie. « Je pleure, je pleure de joie ! », s’époumone cette résidente de Téhéran, contactée par messagerie cryptée. C’est la première fois qu’elle ose parler d’Ali Khamenei. Dans sa famille, partisane du régime, on a grandi avec une ligne rouge à ne jamais dépasser. « Le guide suprême était intouchable, une sorte de chef spirituel au-dessus de la mêlée. » Mais l’annonce, samedi soir, de son assassinat, a fait sauter un verrou. « Soudain, je me suis sentie libérée. J’ai grimpé les escaliers et j’ai rejoint les voisins sur le toit pour hurler : “Khamenei, c’est fini !” »
En cette nuit de samedi à dimanche, au terme d’une première journée de frappes israélo-américaines, les petites lumières des téléphones portables ont longtemps brillé dans l’obscurité : sur les balcons, les places publiques, les arrêts de bus, les trottoirs bondés d’hommes, de femmes, d’enfants. « Marg bar Khamenei ! (Mort à Khamenei, NDLR) », jubile l’un d’eux, en répétant le slogan d’usage dans les manifestations, sur une vidéo envoyée d’Ispahan. « Il est mort, mon chéri. Maintenant, tu peux crier “Azadi” (liberté) », lui répond sa mère en explosant de rire. » | Par Delphine Minoui | dimanche 1er mars 2026
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