Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has issued an open letter in Arabic urging Muslim-majority countries to support Iran in its ongoing war against the United States and Israel. In the letter, Larijani described the conflict as a struggle between the US-Israel alliance and regional resistance forces, warning that Washington is untrustworthy and that Israel remains an enemy of the Muslim world. He emphasized that Iran seeks no dominance over others and called on Muslim nations to consider the region’s future.

Larijani accused the US and Israel of launching an aggressive war to destroy Iran, lamenting the limited support from Muslim countries during this crisis. He asserted that Iran’s people would continue to resist until the end. The letter follows failed nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, which ended on February 27 without agreement.

The day after the talks collapsed, the US began “Operation Epic Fury” in Iran, joined by Israel’s simultaneous “Operation Roaring Lion.” Iran has since retaliated with drone and missile strikes on US bases across six Gulf countries, actions that remain ongoing.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated that wars are determined on the battlefield rather than on social media. His remarks came in response to comments made by US President Donald Trump. Zolfaghari also mocked the name of the US campaign “Epic Fury,” suggesting it would be more accurately called “Epic Fear.”

The statement reflects Iran’s dismissal of US messaging efforts and its emphasis on traditional military strength over online narratives. The exchange underscores ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington, with both sides using public statements to assert their positions.

The comments highlight Iran’s attempt to project confidence in its military capabilities while downplaying the influence of social media in shaping wartime outcomes.

Most of the world wants the ongoing war involving Iran to end quickly, but the countries engaged hold sharply different objectives. The United States, under President Donald Trump, has wavered between limiting Iran’s nuclear program, forcing regime change, and securing regional compliance. Despite 16 days of intense bombing that weakened Iran’s military, Tehran has neither surrendered nor collapsed. Earlier indirect talks in Geneva, mediated by Oman, had shown progress on nuclear issues, but Iran refused to discuss its missile program or regional proxies.

Iran seeks an end to the war but not at the cost of accepting all U.S. demands. It insists on guarantees against future attacks and compensation for damages from U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Israel, meanwhile, wants to destroy as much of Iran’s missile and military infrastructure as possible, viewing Tehran’s weapons programs as existential threats. Gulf Arab states, though initially neutral, are now angered by Iranian drone and missile strikes on their territories.

Rising oil prices, partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and growing domestic unease in the U.S. are increasing pressure on Washington to find a way out of the conflict.

Amnesty International has concluded that the United States is responsible for a February 28 missile strike on a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, that killed at least 170 people, most of them children. The rights group said on Monday that a US-manufactured Tomahawk missile was likely used in the attack, which also hit structures in an adjacent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) compound. Amnesty’s investigation, based on satellite imagery, video analysis, and expert interviews, found that the school was directly struck, indicating a failure by US forces to take feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm.

The organization said the attack represents a serious breach of international humanitarian law and may amount to a war crime. Amnesty’s senior director Erika Guevara-Rosas stated that if the US failed to identify the building as a school, it would show gross negligence and a major intelligence failure. Alternatively, if the US knew the school’s location and still proceeded, it would constitute a reckless and indiscriminate attack. The United Nations and US lawmakers have called for accountability, while Washington has said it is investigating the incident.

The Minab strike has intensified scrutiny of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which legal experts say violates international law, and raised concerns about US officials’ dismissive remarks regarding rules of engagement.

Thirteen US soldiers have been killed and 200 injured since the war between the United States and Iran began, according to US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins. Among the injured, ten are in critical condition. Hawkins stated that the injuries include burns, traumatic brain injuries, and shrapnel wounds, and that 180 personnel have already returned to duty.

Military officials noted that many of the attacks were caused by Iran’s one-way drone strikes. General Dan Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said such drone attacks were responsible for most of the casualties. The conflict began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran.

Iran has responded with counterattacks, particularly targeting several Gulf countries known to be allies of the United States and Israel, according to the report sourced from Al Jazeera.

Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has instructed officials appointed by his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to remain in their posts. In a message broadcast on March 12 by state television, he stated that no reappointments are necessary and that all current officials should continue their duties according to the directives issued during his father’s lifetime.

Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as his father’s successor on March 8 but has not yet appeared publicly, and no photos or videos of him have been released. The message aired on state TV marked his first public communication since assuming the role. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed on March 13, without evidence, that Khamenei had been injured in an airstrike on Tehran. In contrast, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s son, Yousef Pezeshkian, confirmed on March 11 that the supreme leader was safe and unharmed.

The contrasting statements highlight uncertainty surrounding Khamenei’s condition and visibility as he begins his leadership amid regional tensions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran has not initiated war with the United States or Israel and that defending against aggression is Tehran’s legitimate right. Writing on X, he urged an end to attempts to disrupt Iran’s relations with neighboring countries through the use of American bases. Pezeshkian said he discussed the matter with French President Emmanuel Macron by phone.

He emphasized that ignoring Zionist-American aggression would make regional peace and stability impossible, asserting that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not surrender to oppressors. Pezeshkian expressed hope that the global community would condemn such aggression and compel the attackers to respect international law. He described entering wars based on misinformation as a “medieval act in the 21st century.”

Pezeshkian added that talk of ending the war would only be meaningful once Iran could be assured that no further attacks would occur on its territory.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a new warning targeting US-linked industrial facilities across the Middle East. According to a statement published by Iran’s state-run Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC said attacks could occur within hours and urged employees and nearby residents to leave the areas immediately. The group’s spokesperson cautioned the United States to evacuate all American industrial sites in the region and advised civilians near facilities with American ownership to move away to avoid harm.

The IRGC did not specify which facilities might be targeted. However, Tasnim News Agency had earlier released a list of potential targets on its Telegram channel, naming offices of major technology companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia located in Gulf countries. Analysts cited in the report suggested that the warning could heighten existing tensions in the Middle East and raise new security concerns for multinational corporations operating in the region.

The report, sourced from Al Jazeera, indicates growing uncertainty over the safety of US-affiliated businesses amid escalating regional instability.

Israel has announced a detailed plan to extend its military campaign in Iran by at least three more weeks, following intense airstrikes across the country. Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said on Monday that the army has a specific operational plan for the next three weeks and may extend it further. The campaign aims to cripple Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and security systems to eliminate threats to Israel. Over 110,000 reserve troops have already been deployed.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran has not proposed a ceasefire or exchanged messages with the United States. The joint U.S.-Israeli operation has entered its third week, with Iranian drone attacks temporarily halting operations at Dubai Airport and damaging a key oil facility in the UAE. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of global oil and gas supplies pass, has driven up oil prices and renewed inflation fears worldwide.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called for a multinational military coalition to reopen the vital waterway, warning that NATO’s future could be at risk if allies fail to support Washington’s efforts.

Iran has confirmed its plan to participate in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup despite security warnings from the United States. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated that, as of now, Iran is expected to compete in the tournament. At a press conference at AFC headquarters, Secretary General Windsor Paul John said the organization is monitoring the situation but believes Iran will play, emphasizing that Iran is one of Asia’s strongest teams.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump warned on social media that Iran’s team should reconsider participation for safety reasons. In response, Iran’s national football team issued a statement on its official Instagram account asserting that participation in the World Cup is governed by FIFA, not by any individual or country. The team highlighted its early qualification through consistent success.

The uncertainty stems from ongoing conflict in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, now entering its second week. The regional war has begun to affect global affairs and discussions surrounding preparations for the World Cup, scheduled to begin on June 11, 2026.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has expressed gratitude to Pakistan for showing solidarity with Iran as the country faces attacks from the United States and Israel, according to Al Jazeera. In a post on social media platform X, written in Urdu, Araghchi thanked the government and people of Pakistan for their firm support toward the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, Pakistan has increased its diplomatic engagement with regional countries. Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by phone with Iranian leaders ahead of his visit to Saudi Arabia. On March 12, Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, made a quick trip to Riyadh to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held discussions with counterparts from China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman about the region’s serious and evolving situation.

A Bloomberg report cited ship-tracking data showing a Pakistani vessel crossing the Strait of Hormuz toward Pakistan. Al Jazeera said it sought confirmation from Pakistan’s information ministry and military but received no response.

The Israeli military has claimed responsibility for an airstrike that destroyed a facility linked to Iran’s military space program in Tehran. According to a statement cited by Al Jazeera, the strike targeted a compound in the center of the Iranian capital where satellite attack capabilities were reportedly being developed. The Israeli Air Force said the operation was based on precise intelligence and that the site posed a threat to Israeli and global space assets.

The statement added that the compound housed several projects under Iran’s military space program, including work on the Chamran-1 satellite. That satellite was built by the Iranian Defense Ministry’s Electronics Industries and launched into orbit by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in September 2024. The Israeli military also reported that another space-related research facility of the Iran Space Organization in Tehran was attacked last week.

The report did not include any immediate response from Iranian authorities or independent verification of the Israeli claims.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the United States and Israel have learned a significant lesson from their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Speaking at the Foreign Ministry’s weekly press briefing on Monday, he said Tehran is prepared to continue the war as far as necessary, according to Al Jazeera.

Araghchi emphasized that Iran has demonstrated its readiness to sustain the confrontation with both Israel and the United States. He added that the two countries now understand the nature of the Iranian nation, which, he said, does not hesitate to defend itself and is willing to fight wherever required.

The minister’s remarks underline Tehran’s firm stance amid heightened tensions, signaling that Iran intends to maintain its defensive posture for as long as it deems necessary.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has declared that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to Iran’s enemies as the conflict with Israel and the United States enters its sixteenth day, according to Al Jazeera. Araghchi stated that after fifteen days of war, opposing nations are now seeking help from other countries to ensure the security of the strategic waterway.

He emphasized that while Iran considers the strait open, it is closed to those who have carried out what he described as cowardly aggression against Iran and to their allies. Araghchi also claimed that the war began with attacks by the United States and Israel, who had demanded Iran’s unconditional surrender.

The statement underscores heightened regional tensions and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy shipments, as the conflict continues without signs of de-escalation.

The Israeli military announced that it has launched a large-scale offensive on three major Iranian cities—Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz. According to a statement cited by Al Jazeera, the operation marks a new phase of attacks aimed at what Israel described as critical infrastructure targets across Iran.

Tehran, Iran’s capital, lies in the northern part of the country, while Tabriz, the fourth-largest city, is located in the northwest near the borders with Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Shiraz, another major city, is situated in the southwest. The Israeli statement did not specify the exact nature or extent of the damage caused by the strikes.

Further details about the attacks are expected to be released as more information becomes available, according to the report.