News

Iran war live: Tehran rejects Trump claim on talks; fire near Dubai airport  Al Jazeera

Iran says Israel committed environmental crimes in Tehran Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, on Monday accused Israel of committing a crime against the environment after strikes hit fuel tanks in Tehran. “Israel's bombings of fuel depots in Tehran violate international law and constitute ecocide,” Araghchi said. He warned that contamination of soil and groundwater could cause long-term damage, adding that Israel “must be punished for its war crimes". Footage after the US-Israeli bombing of Tehran’s oil depots showed the sky covered in dark smoke, and witnesses said oil fell like rain in some areas after the strikes. Israel's bombings of fuel depots in Tehran violate international law and constitute ecocide. pic.twitter.com/K9bU57ZBTC March 16, 2026

Trump says US, Israel share similar war objectives President Donald Trump said the United States and Israel are largely aligned in their military objectives in the war with Iran, though he acknowledged the two allies may not have identical goals. “I think we have similar objectives, really, but could be a little bit different,” Trump said. “They have a lot of our weapons. They have our planes. They have our missiles. They have our Patriots. They have a lot of our weapons. We have the best we make, the best weapons in the world,” he said.  Money sticks out from the pocket of US President Donald Trump as he boards Air Force One on 15 March 2026 in Florida. Nathan Howard / Getty Images via AFP

Video shows fire after drone incident near Dubai airport Video circulating online showed a fire burning near Dubai International Airport after what authorities described as a “drone incident".  The Dubai Media Office said the incident affected a fuel tank near the airport. “Dubai Civil Defence teams are currently working to bring the fire under control,” the office said, adding that no further details were immediately available. ⚡️#BREAKING Fires erupt in Dubai following Iranian drone strikes pic.twitter.com/sBDs9JX809 March 16, 2026

Saudi Arabia intercepts 37 drones in 90 minutes Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence on Monday said its forces intercepted 37 drones in the country’s eastern region within about 90 minutes.  Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, denied that Tehran was behind recent attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, including the Ras Tanura refinery and attempted drone strikes on the Shaybah oilfield. “Iran is not the party responsible for these attacks, and if Iran had carried them out, it would have announced it,” he told Reuters.

What Iranians are being told about the war  BBC

Iranian leaders taunt ‘US Epstein class’ during war Elis Gjevori on Sun, 03/15/2026 - 23:45 Iranian officials frame the conflict as resistance against a morally compromised US political class tied to Epstein A mural titled "Island Boys" by artist Scott Marsh is seen on a building wall in Sydney on February 24, 2026, depicting Jeffrey Epstein alongside US President Donald Trump. (Saeed Khan/AFP) Off Senior Iranian officials have repeatedly invoked the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to attack Washington’s political elite during the ongoing Israeli-US war on the country. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, accused figures linked to Epstein’s network of plotting to provoke a global crisis and blame Tehran. Posting on X, Larijani said: “I’ve heard that the remaining members of Epstein’s network have devised a conspiracy to create an incident similar to 9/11 and blame Iran for it." "Iran fundamentally opposes such terrorist schemes and has no war with the American people. We are defending our country against an aggression launched by the US and Israel. Iran stands tall in doing so in order to teach the aggressors a lesson,” he added. The comments are part of a wider campaign by Iranian leaders to portray the US political class as morally engaged in an illegal war and compromised while positioning Iran as resisting aggression by Washington and Israel. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Larijani also mocked remarks from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had suggested Iranian leaders were hiding like "rats" during the war. Mr. Hegseth! Our leaders have been, and still are, among the people. But your leaders? On Epstein's island! https://t.co/iywavTegyv pic.twitter.com/rxFhzsWoq5 March 13, 2026 Iranian officials had appeared publicly at Tehran’s annual al-Quds Day rally on 13 March, where crowds marched in support of Palestinians. “Mr. Hegseth! Our leaders have been, and still are, among the people. But your leaders? On Epstein’s island!” Larijani wrote on X. Iran’s foreign ministry echoed the rhetoric earlier the same day, describing US and Israeli strikes on Iran as an assault by the “Epstein gang”. 'Operation Epstein Fury' The messaging has gained traction in Iran’s political discourse as vast files documenting Epstein’s connections to powerful figures in the United States continue to circulate around the world. Epstein, a financier with ties to Israel and the Mossad, abused and trafficked hundreds of young women and girls, maintained ties with wealthy and influential individuals across politics and business before his death in 2019. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Iranian officials have repeatedly used the scandal to attack Washington’s leadership and undermine its moral authority during the conflict. Epstein files: FBI memo says Israel ‘compromised’ Trump, Epstein had Mossad ties Read More » Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf joined the condemantion after US President Donald Trump suggested he wanted influence over the selection of Iran’s next supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier in the war. “The fate of dear Iran … will be determined solely by the proud Iranian nation, not by Epstein’s gang,” Ghalibaf wrote on X. The rhetoric has also spread widely online. Some social media users have speculated that the US military campaign, officially named “Operation Epic Fury”, serves as a political distraction from domestic controversies surrounding Epstein’s network. Online the war has been dubbed "Operation Epstein Fury". Right-wing commentator Candace Owens amplified the discourse hours after the war began on 28 February. She reshared a post featuring an AI-generated image of Trump standing between Israeli flags and suggested Washington was attacking Iran on Israel’s behalf. Owens added the caption: “Operation Epstein Fury fully explained.” Epstein Files News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

'Make Iran Great Again' demonstrators in NYC say war is worth the price  ABC7 New York

Top Trump adviser says Iran war price tag at $12bn so far  Al Jazeera

Meanwhile, more than 20,000 patients await evacuation as the Rafah crossing is set to partially reopen on Wednesday.

The US-Israel war on Iran rages on and China says it should never have happened.

'A new norm': BBC visits Doha market starting to fill up again two weeks into Iran war  BBC

How War in Iran Could Remake the Global Energy Landscape  The New York Times

Oil prices climb as the US and Israel's war on Iran enters its 3rd week  Business Insider

Israeli strike hits Beirut’s southern suburbs An Israeli air strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs late on Sunday, Lebanese media reported. The attack followed an evacuation warning issued earlier in the day by the Israeli military for several neighbourhoods in the area. AFP correspondents in the Lebanese capital reported hearing a loud explosion as the strike hit the district, a stronghold of Hezbollah that Israel has repeatedly targeted since it started its war on Lebanon.

Iran raises minimum wage by more than 60 percent Iran has announced a sharp increase in the national minimum wage as the country grapples with inflation and economic strain. Local media reported that Labour Minister Ahmad Meydari confirmed the government had approved a rise of more than 60 percent for the coming Persian calendar year. According to Tasnim news agency, the monthly minimum wage will climb from 103 million rials to 166 million rials. Officials also approved a similar increase in family allowances. Iran reviews wages each year in line with inflation, which has surged under international sanctions and economic disruption linked to the ongoing war.

Bahrain says it shot down 125 missiles and 212 drones since start of Israeli-US war Bahrain says its air defences have intercepted and destroyed hundreds of aerial threats since attacks began. In a statement, the Bahrain Defence Force said “125 missiles and 212 drones targeting the country have been intercepted and destroyed since the start of the aggression”. Officials said the interceptions highlight the scale of the attacks facing the Gulf state as regional tensions continue to escalate. تُعلن القيادة العامة لقوة دفاع البحرين أن منظومات الدفاع الجوي بقوة دفاع البحرين بفضلٍ من الله، ثم بيقظة رجالها مستمرة في مواجهة موجات تتابعية من الاعتداءات الإيرانية الإرهابية الآثمة، استهدفت مملكة البحرين.https://t.co/H76i5wIvZS pic.twitter.com/hZ9xCsfq8E March 15, 2026

Iran says US carrier Gerald Ford in Red Sea poses threat Iran has warned that the presence of a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea represents a direct threat and anyone supplying services to the US military is a target. According to the Fars news agency, a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters said: “The presence of the American aircraft carrier Gerald Ford in the Red Sea is a threat to us.”

AP analysis: Two weeks into war with Iran, Trump has been knocked back on his political heels  PBS

Iran Needs Not to Lose to Win the War. The U.S. and Israel Need Total Victory  Haaretz