βͺοΈ Immediately after the start of strikes by the United States and Israel, Iran proposed discussing a ceasefire and conveyed this signal to the American side through intermediaries. This was reported by The New York Times, citing sources.
βͺοΈ Iran's Armed Forces have issued a formal denial, carried by state media, asserting that no missiles were fired towards Turkish territory and insisting that Iran respects Turkey's sovereignty. This statement comes in response to claims from Turkey's Ministry of National Defence that a ballistic missile launched from Iran, after passing through Syrian and Iraqi airspace towards Turkey, was destroyed by NATO air and missile defence systems over the eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday.
βͺοΈ As the conflict in the Middle East escalates and disrupts global air travel, governments worldwide are stepping up repatriation flights from the region. A Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 chartered by the German government landed in Frankfurt on Thursday morning after departing from Muscat, Oman. The passengers, selected by German authorities, had been stranded in the Gulf region after a U.S. attack on Iran halted air travel, with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stating the flight prioritized vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children, and people with illnesses.
βͺοΈ The United Nations (UN) Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Iran issued a statement on March 4, condemning the military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran. The commission asserted that these strikes, along with Iran's subsequent retaliatory attacks on targets in the Middle East, violate the UN Charter, which "prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state."
βͺοΈ The US Senate rejected a resolution proposed by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine aimed at limiting President Donald Trump's military authority regarding Iran. The vote saw 47 senators in favor and 53 against, marking the eighth unsuccessful attempt by Democrats to restrict Trump's war powers since his return to the White House.
βͺοΈ The Kurdish television channel Rudaw, citing a high-ranking representative of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, announced that information about Kurdish forces launching an attack on Iranian territory is untrue. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the channel emphasized: "None of our units have entered the territory of Eastern Kurdistan and Iran. We reject such claims," marking an official denial of these rumors.
βͺοΈ North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised the test-firing of 'strategic cruise missiles' from a new 5,000-tonne naval destroyer prior to its official commissioning, as reported by state media. Kim observed the launch of sea-to-surface missiles from the destroyer Choe Hyon, assessing the test as a 'core' capability of the new warship, which he described as a 'new symbol of sea defence' for the country.
βͺοΈ Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that he could not rule out his country's military participation in the escalating war in the Middle East, after earlier declaring that the US-Israeli strikes on Iran were "inconsistent with international law". Speaking alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Thursday, Carney was questioned about potential scenarios for Canadian involvement. "One can never categorically rule out participation," Carney said, describing the inquiry as "hypothetical".
βͺοΈ The Islamic Republic of Iran has entered a sensitive transitional phase following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint United States-Israeli strike. This process has brought back to the forefront questions about whether figures like former President Hassan Rouhani (2013β2021) might be utilized to calm the domestic arena or rebalance power inside the system.
βͺοΈ China has set its economic growth target for 2026 at 4.5% to 5%, marking the country's lowest annual growth target in decades. Last year's target was around 5%. The lowered growth target comes as the government attempts to address challenges such as low domestic consumption and a faltering property market in 2026.
βͺοΈ Governments worldwide are intensifying repatriation flights from the Middle East as the US-led war against Iran causes the most significant disruption to global air travel since the COVID-19 pandemic. Qatar's Interior Ministry announced the evacuation of residents near the US embassy in Doha, describing it as a "temporary precautionary measure." Qatar hosts the largest US military installation in the region, Al-Udeid Air Base, which was struck by an Iranian missile on Tuesday.
βͺοΈ The United States House of Representatives Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi, demanding her testimony regarding the Justice Department's handling of records linked to the investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The motion, introduced by Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, passed on Wednesday with a vote of 24-19, including five Republicans joining Democrats in supporting the subpoena, in a rare bipartisan rebuke of the administration's transparency.