An adviser to Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on Wednesday that the country has no intention of holding talks with the United States and is prepared for a long war. The statement was made by Mohammad Mokhbar during an appearance on Iran’s state television, according to a BBC report.

Mokhbar said Iran has no trust in the Americans and sees no basis for negotiations, asserting that the country could continue fighting as long as it wishes. His remarks reflect Tehran’s hardened stance amid ongoing regional tensions and strained relations with Washington.

The comments come as Iran continues to face regional instability, including displacement in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks and other regional security challenges, according to related reports cited in the same source.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of breaking off diplomatic relations out of envy during negotiations. In a new social media post, Araghchi wrote that Trump viewed complex nuclear discussions as if they were real estate transactions, suggesting that falsehoods had obscured reality and led to unrealistic expectations.

Araghchi stated that the outcome of this approach was the severing of diplomatic ties at the negotiation table itself. He further alleged that Trump had betrayed both diplomatic relations and the American people who elected him.

The comments reflect continuing tensions between Iran and the United States, with Araghchi’s remarks underscoring Tehran’s frustration over the breakdown of talks and the perceived lack of seriousness from Washington.

Mojtaba Khamenei, considered a potential successor to Iran’s supreme leadership, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, according to two Iranian sources cited by Reuters. The report did not specify the location or method of the attack. Mojtaba, previously described in a 2008 U.S. diplomatic cable as a capable and powerful leader, has been viewed as a key figure in Iran’s political hierarchy.

The incident follows the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on Saturday after serving 36 years as the country’s top religious authority. In the aftermath, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that whoever becomes Iran’s next supreme leader would also be targeted, posting the threat on social media platform X.

The attack on Mojtaba Khamenei and the warning from Israel come amid heightened regional instability following the joint strike and ongoing displacement in Lebanon due to Israeli operations.

Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, spokesperson of the National Citizens Party (NCP), has called an urgent press conference to disclose his bank statement. The event is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the party’s temporary office in Banglamotor, Dhaka.

The announcement follows the emergence of anonymous corruption allegations submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) by a group claiming to be fans of Sakib Al Hasan. These allegations surfaced after discussions began about Asif Mahmud’s potential candidacy for mayor in the upcoming city corporation election. In response, he decided to make his financial records public to address the claims.

The press conference is expected to focus on transparency regarding his finances and to counter the unverified corruption accusations.

The government of Bangladesh has issued a notification redistributing the portfolios of two advisers and eight state ministers. The Cabinet Division released the order on Tuesday afternoon, formalizing the new assignments across several ministries.

According to the notification, Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Nazrul Islam has been assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture, while Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed will now oversee the Ministry of Industries. Among the state ministers, Md. Shariful Alam has been given charge of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, Sultan Salauddin Tuku of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and Habibur Rashid of the Railways and Road Transport and Highways Division. Md. Rajib Ahsan will handle the Ministry of Shipping and the Bridges Division.

Additionally, Junaid Abdur Rahim Saki has been assigned to the Ministry of Planning, Farzana Sharmin to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Md. Nurul Haque Nur to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Bobby Hajjaj to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.

In Jhenaidah, a man named Abu Zafar formally disowned his son for continuing political activities with the banned Chhatra League. On March 2, 2026, he appeared at the Jhenaidah District Notary Public Office and made the declaration through an affidavit. The document stated that his son, Nahid Hasan Sabuj, joint general secretary of the KC College unit of Chhatra League, had been living separately and engaging in political activities despite repeated warnings.

According to the affidavit, Abu Zafar said his son had been disobedient and living an undisciplined life for a long time. He alleged that even after the organization was banned in August 2024, Sabuj continued to participate in its programs, including raising the flag at the abandoned office of the district Awami League on February 21, which later went viral on social media. Feeling embarrassed, the father decided to sever all familial and legal ties.

The affidavit clarified that the family would bear no responsibility for Sabuj’s actions or financial matters. The legal process was completed through Advocate Md. Sadatur Rahman Hadi. Attempts to contact Sabuj for comment were unsuccessful.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli attack in Tehran on Saturday, will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad, his birthplace. The information was reported by Iran’s Fars News Agency on Tuesday. The exact date of the burial has not yet been announced. Khamenei’s father is also buried in the Imam Reza shrine complex in Mashhad.

Before the burial, a large farewell ceremony will be held in the capital, Tehran, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), though no details of the program have been released. Khamenei, 86, had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, following his role in the Islamic Revolution under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his presidency during the Iran-Iraq war.

During his nearly 37-year rule, Khamenei faced multiple political and economic challenges, including widespread protests over the sharp fall of the Iranian rial that began in December last year and spread nationwide.

The verdict in the Rampura war crimes case, scheduled for announcement today, has been postponed after the prosecution requested a four-week delay to submit new evidence against the accused. Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam stated that after assuming his role, he discovered additional evidence that he deemed necessary to present in the interest of justice. The application was submitted to the International Crimes Tribunal-1, chaired by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder, with Justices Shafiul Alam Mahmud and retired District Judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury as members.

The tribunal had earlier fixed today’s date for the verdict on February 15. The case involves charges of crimes against humanity during the July uprising, including the shooting of Amir Hossain and the killing of two others. Fourteen witnesses testified for the prosecution, while accused Chanchal Chandra testified in his defense. The prosecution completed its arguments on January 29, asserting that evidence and witness statements proved the involvement of five accused individuals, four of whom remain absconding.

The tribunal had formally framed charges against the five accused on September 18 last year, following the submission of the formal charge on August 7.

Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Ahmed announced that the government will soon publish a list of extortionists and terrorists and launch an operation against them. He stated that maintaining law and order remains the government’s biggest challenge. The minister made these remarks on Wednesday afternoon while speaking to journalists.

He emphasized that, unlike the previous government, the current administration will not use the police force for political purposes. The statement signals a renewed focus on law enforcement and accountability in tackling criminal networks.

Further details of the planned operation and the list of individuals involved have not yet been disclosed, but the announcement suggests that action will begin shortly.

Democratic Congress member Pramila Jayapal stated that there is no evidence Iran poses an imminent threat to the United States. She made the remarks after a House briefing on the Iran war, saying that no justification had been provided for an attack on Iran. Jayapal criticized the lack of a clear strategy regarding the conflict and noted that lawmakers were not informed about how long the war might last. She emphasized that congressional approval is required before initiating any war and warned of potential casualties.

Jayapal further argued that the justification for attacking Iran is weak and called for a congressional vote on the matter, insisting that Congress must decide on any war-related action. Meanwhile, the US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) reported that at least 1,097 civilians have been killed in Iran since February 28 amid ongoing violence. The report also claimed that 104 attacks occurred in the past 24 hours, targeting military bases, medical centers, and residential areas.

The developments highlight growing concern in Washington over the direction of US policy toward Iran and the humanitarian toll of escalating violence inside Iran.

The Cabinet Division of Bangladesh has issued a new circular requiring all government, semi-government, autonomous, and semi-autonomous officials and employees to remain in their offices from 9:00 to 9:40 AM daily. The directive, signed by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani and dated March 2, 2026, aims to enhance citizen service delivery, administrative efficiency, and inter-departmental coordination. Previous circulars on similar attendance requirements were issued in 2019 and 2021.

According to the circular, many officials fail to arrive on time due to participation in official or personal programs such as seminars, workshops, or visits to banks and hospitals, which disrupts communication and affects public service and the government’s image. The new rule instructs authorities to ensure that official programs do not interfere with the mandatory attendance period.

The directive exempts certain categories, including teachers not in administrative roles, roster-duty staff in hospitals or security institutions, emergency service providers, and law enforcement personnel on field duty. Officials are prohibited from leaving the workplace without written permission from the authority.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of disregarding the American people and failing to follow proper procedures before initiating a conflict with Iran. Speaking after a congressional briefing, Murphy said the Trump administration had engaged in a war whose outcome remains uncertain.

Murphy stated that officials described the situation as an open engagement that has not yet fully begun but could lead to more American casualties. He added that the administration refused to rule out deploying ground troops. According to Murphy, this approach demonstrates contempt for the American public, as the administration believes it can wage one of the largest Middle East wars since Iraq and Afghanistan without a single congressional vote or debate.

Murphy’s remarks highlight growing concerns among lawmakers about executive overreach and the lack of congressional authorization for military actions in the region.

Political analyst and Jedaal Television presenter Ali Alizadeh stated that Iran possesses sufficient resources to sustain a prolonged war compared to the United States and Israel. Speaking from London, he said Iran’s defense strategy is far less expensive than Western air defense systems, as the country produces missiles and drones domestically at low cost. According to him, if the conflict continues, it will likely benefit Iran.

Alizadeh referenced former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of preparing for a four- to five-week war, noting that the 12-day Israel-U.S. war against Iran last June showed that each additional day of fighting would become harder for Israeli citizens. He added that as Israel and U.S. missile defense systems and other supplies deplete, their next steps will be uncertain.

He further argued that Israel dragged Trump into the conflict and that Trump underestimated Iran’s resilience. Alizadeh described Iran’s government as patient and strong, suggesting that Trump is realizing he has been cornered by a joint war effort.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur held a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman in Dhaka on Wednesday morning. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during Kapur’s official visit to Bangladesh. Earlier, he met with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid, and later in the day he was scheduled to meet Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud. Kapur was also expected to attend a dinner and exchange views with business representatives.

According to officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit will cover bilateral and geopolitical issues, including the implementation of a recently signed trade agreement and discussions on a proposed security pact. The visit follows a congratulatory message from US President Donald Trump to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman emphasizing trade and defense cooperation. Kapur is accompanied by Laura Anderson, Senior Economic Adviser at the US Department of State.

The United States seeks to finalize two defense agreements, GSOMIA and ACSA, with Bangladesh, with talks on GSOMIA reportedly progressing. The visit may also address the repatriation of undocumented Bangladeshis from the US.

On Wednesday morning, State Minister for Land Barrister Kaiser Kamal conducted an unannounced inspection at the Siddhirganj Union Land Office in Narayanganj. Arriving at 9:10 a.m., he discovered that no officials were present and the office was locked. The minister waited for about half an hour on the office veranda before expressing his frustration over the absence of staff during official hours.

Kamal described the situation as unacceptable and warned that strict action would be taken against those neglecting their duties. He emphasized that a government elected by the people must work for the people and that any irregularities or corruption would not be tolerated.

The incident highlights the minister’s focus on administrative accountability and his stance against negligence within government offices.