Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Latest News and Views from Iran and the World

Holidaymakers flock to cities across Iran during Nowruz

With the advent of the Iranian New Year on Wednesday, holidaymakers across Iran travel to other cities to visit their families and relatives, or find a resort to chillax after a year of hard work, or just zip across the four corners of the country.

Russia warns French troops in Ukraine “legitimate priority target”

Russia's foreign intelligence (SVR) top brass said London is preparing to send 2,000 forces to Ukraine. Sergey Naryshkin added any French military unit sent to Ukraine to help it fight Russia would be a "priority" target for the Russian Army.

UK public spent millions in missile costs for Yemen war: Report

The United Kingdom has reportedly poured millions into protecting Israeli ships in the Red Sea since the conflict between Israel and Palestine first began in October, with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak becoming ninth prime minister to use the RAF to bomb Yemen.

Iranians celebrate New Year in Hafezieh in Shiraz

Iranians gathered on Wednesday in the tomb of the 14th century poet Hafez, better known as Hafezieh, in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz to celebrate the advent of Nowruz, or the Persian New Year.

Growing number of Gaza infants on the verge of death due to lack of food: WHO

The World Health Organization has issued another stark warning about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip as a WHO spokesperson warned a growing number of infants there are on the “brink of death” from acute hunger.

AFC releases poster to mark Iranian New Year, Nowruz

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has congratulated Nowruz, the Persian New Year, by releasing a poster of a few high-profile athletes of the country.

Large number of Iranians mark New Year in holy shrines

A massive number of pilgrims were in Imam Reza’s holy shrine, the eighth Shia imam, in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad at 06:36 local time (03:06 GMT) on Wednesday to celebrate the start of the Persian New Year, 1403.

Canada to stop arms sales to Israel

The Canadian government will halt future arms exports to Israel, even though the motion approved by the House of Commons, is not legally binding, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly has stated.

Iran president urges action to stop Gaza genocide by Israel

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has called for serious practical steps to cease Israel’s raids on the Gaza Strip in his New Year message to Asian countries celebrating Nowruz.

UN human rights chief warns Israel may use starvation as ‘method of war’ in Gaza

Israel could use starvation as a "method of war" in the besieged Gaza Strip by obstructing the entry of humanitarian assistance to the enclave, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk has stated.

Former US generals slam Biden admin. for Afghanistan withdrawal

The two top US generals who oversaw the evacuation of Afghanistan as it fell to the Taliban in August 2021 blamed the administration of President Joe Biden for the chaotic departure, telling American lawmakers that it inadequately planned for the evacuation and did not order it in time.

Israeli PM defies Biden on military operation in Gaza’s Rafah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to call off a major ground offensive against the southern tip of the Gaza Strip, shrugging off a US warning that the operation will kill more civilians and worsen a humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.

NATO forces active in Ukraine: Report

Active and former military personnel from NATO countries have long been operating in Ukraine, overseeing Kiev’s use of West-supplied weapons, El Pais has reported.

Ayatollah Khamenei designates Persian new year as year of ‘surge in production through people’s participation’

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has named the Persian New Year as the year of "surge in production through people's participation".

Russia says NATO won’t bring stability to Caucasus

Moscow is well aware of NATO’s bids to court post-Soviet republics in the South Caucasus, but the bloc’s overtures will bring no benefit to the region, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated.

Iranians celebrating Persian New Year, Nowruz

Millions of people in Iran and several other countries are celebrating Persian New Year, Nowruz, an ancient festivity that marks the beginning of the spring and the renewal of nature.

US says Ukraine’s survival in danger

Ukraine’s very survival in fighting Russia could be at stake unless the western states send more military aid, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has warned.

Armenia says should return disputed areas to Azerbaijan or face war

Yerevan could face a war with Azerbaijan if it does not compromise with Baku and return four Azerbaijani villages it has held since the early 1990s, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in a video published on Tuesday.

Tehran residents gear up for New Year, shopping spree at Tajrish market

As the countdown to the New Year inches closer, the bustling streets of Tehran witness a flurry of activity as residents flock to the Tajrish market in north of the capital. With just a few hours left, citizens are fervently engaged in purchasing essential items and textiles to ring in the new year.

Blinken warns 100% of Gaza at “severe levels of acute food insecurity”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed that Gaza's entire population is "at severe levels of acute food insecurity".

Yemen denounces UNSC condemnation of its maritime operations in the Red Sea

Yemen has slammed the United Nations Security Council for condemning its pro-Palestine maritime operations in the Red Sea, saying that the world body is “dangerously” serving US interests and supporting the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Malnutrition-related death of Gaza children just ‘tip of iceberg’: UNICEF

The “painful and slow death" of 23 children in the north of Gaza due to malnutrition and dehydration "would be the tip of the iceberg" as only those who reached hospitals are reported, UNICEF’s deputy executive director Ted Chaiban has warned.

President Raisi, Russia’s Putin discuss bilateral ties, regional stability

In a recent telephone conversation, Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election and expressed hope for enhanced bilateral cooperation between Iran and Russia.

EU agrees to sanction violent Israeli settlers in West Bank

The European Union foreign ministers have agreed at a meeting in Brussels to impose sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Top comdr.: Iran to retaliate in kind if oil tankers stolen

A senior Iranian commander says Iran will retaliate in kind if its petroleum shipments are stolen.