Speaking to PBS News, Araghchi warned that Iran had no intention of slowing its military response. “The firings continues, and we are prepared. We are well prepared to continue attacking them with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes,” he said.
He also ruled out diplomatic talks with Washington, citing past experiences during earlier negotiations. “I don’t think talking with Americans anymore would be on our agenda,” Araghchi said, adding that Tehran had “a very bitter experience of talking with Americans.”
Trump, however, suggested the conflict might not last long. Speaking at a news conference in Florida, he said: “It’s going to end soon and if it starts up again, they’ll be hit even harder.” The president had earlier described the campaign as a “short term excursion.”
The remarks came as tensions escalated across the Middle East. Iran, now led by newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, launched a new wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Israel. Another missile was fired toward Turkey but was intercepted by NATO air defenses before reaching its target.
Meanwhile, the conflict has rattled global markets and energy supplies. The closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s crude oil passes, sent oil prices above $100 a barrel before they later dropped.
French President Emmanuel Macron said France and its allies were considering a “purely defensive” naval mission to help reopen the waterway once the most intense phase of the fighting subsides.
As fighting spreads across several fronts, oil traders, policymakers and governments worldwide are closely watching the region, fearing further disruption to global energy supplies and shipping routes.
In this photo released by the Iranian Presidency Office, President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a rally commemorating anniversary of 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the late pro-U.S. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought Islamic clerics to power, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP, file)
Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said all relevant institutions are working in coordination and remain on alert in response to the evolving security environment. He added that the government’s primary objective is to shield the country from the ongoing turmoil in the region.
His remarks came after a missile launched from Iran was intercepted over Türkiye’s southeastern province of Gaziantep earlier on Monday. The ballistic munition, which had entered Turkish airspace, was neutralized by NATO air and missile defence assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. The ministry confirmed that there were no casualties or injuries.
“We are closely monitoring all developments with our experienced teams. We are not letting our guard down. Our goal is to keep our country away from this fire,” he said.
The president stated that Türkiye had delivered the necessary warnings to Iran, but “wrong steps” continued to be taken despite those warnings.
“Despite our warnings, wrong and provocative steps that could strain Türkiye’s friendship continue to be taken,” he said. “No one should pursue a course of action that would cast a shadow over our thousand-year-old neighborly and brotherly ties and leave deep wounds in the hearts and minds of our nation.”
“In the context of today’s incident, I once again remind that there should be no insistence or stubbornness in persisting in mistakes,” Erdogan said.
He added that Türkiye’s airspace was being monitored around the clock against potential threats. “Our F-16s, airborne early warning aircraft and tanker planes are observing our airspace 24/7 against possible threats,” he said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a press conference following a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, on March 9, 2026. Erdogan said on Monday that Türkiye is maintaining a high level of vigilance amid escalating regional tensions, warning that “provocative steps” could strain Ankara’s relations with Tehran.
“The President of the Republic informs that, in accordance with the implementation of the Constitution, the government has ceased its functions and that he will soon proceed with the appointment of a new prime minister, in line with the provisions stipulated by the Constitution,” the communique said.
According to the communique, the secretaries-general of each ministry will handle routine affairs until a new prime minister is appointed and a new government is formed.
No specific date has yet been announced for the appointment of the next head of government.
The dissolved government, formed on Oct. 28, 2025, followed the appointment of Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo as prime minister on Oct. 20, 2025, three days after Randrianirina was officially sworn in as Madagascar’s head of state.
Madagascar’s President Michael Randrianirina has dissolved the government.
“The Israeli Air Force… completed an additional wave of strikes on infrastructure across Iran belonging to the Iranian regime,” a military statement said.
According to the statement, the targets included “a rocket engine production facility and several long-range ballistic missiles launch sites” considered a threat to Israel.
The military also reported hitting internal security facilities in the central city of Isfahan, including a police headquarters and other sites used by the Revolutionary Guards and the paramilitary Basij force.
“The Internal Security and Basij forces… constitute a central arm in the repression of the Iranian civilian population and are responsible for the use of brutal and systematic violence against it,” the statement said.
It added that the latest strikes were part of “deepening the damage to the core arrays and foundations of the Iranian regime.”
The announcement came shortly after Tehran named Mojtaba Khamenei as the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader late on Sunday, marking the first wave of Israeli strikes reported since the appointment.
For many years, China’s foreign minister has honored a diplomatic tradition by kicking off the year with a visit to Africa. “This consistency reflects the spirit and commitment of China’s diplomacy,” Wang told a press conference on the sidelines of the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that China-Africa friendship has been passed down from generation to generation — forged heart to heart, and built with sweat and blood,” Wang said.
Highlighting fresh steps in building a China-Africa community with a shared future, he said China will host multiple African leaders this year to strengthen mutual support as all-weather partners and to write a new chapter of a shared journey together.
Starting from May 1, China will fully implement zero-tariff access to 100 percent of chart of African imports, removing tariffs completely to boost trade, multiply benefits for the people, and help Africa access the enormous opportunities of the Chinese market, Wang said.
The China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges has officially commenced, with nearly 600 activities planned throughout this year, he said, adding that China is ready to work with its African brothers to draw inspiration from their civilization heritage for a stronger bond between people and carry forward the friendship for many generations to come.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that China-Africa friendship has withstood the test of changing international circumstances, demonstrating strong vitality.
At the ceremony, Secretary-General of Madagascar’s Ministry of Communication and Culture Miary Rasolofoarijaona expressed his deep gratitude for the organization of “this unprecedented festival,” held as part of activities celebrating the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
“The China Film Festival is a concrete illustration of the willingness to bring our hearts and minds closer together through the power of images and shared stories,” he said, adding that the festival will enable Malagasy audiences to discover the richness, modernity and depth of Chinese culture.
Chinese Ambassador to Madagascar Ji Ping said the continuous deepening of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Africa carries paradigmatic significance that transcends the bilateral framework, especially in the current global context marked by divisions caused by geopolitical conflicts.
“Let us seize the opportunity of this film festival to make the cultures of our two countries shine on the global stage,” he said.
Zhang Xuxia, deputy director of the China Film Archive, said in a video address that the themes and styles of Chinese films have become increasingly diverse, while the unique charm of Malagasy films and other cultural works has been widely appreciated.
“We are convinced that Chinese and Malagasy filmmakers can inspire each other and generate new ideas, so that more works can be seen, understood and appreciated by audiences in both countries,” she said.
The 2026 China Film Festival, which runs until March 15 and features the screening of six Chinese films, is expected to strengthen mutual understanding between China and Madagascar, while promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Students from Madagascar perform at a campus event in Ningbo, East China’s Zhejiang Province. File photo: VCG
In a statement, the assembly confirmed Mojtaba Khamenei’s election as the country’s third supreme leader, citing “the decisive vote of the respected representatives” of the assembly.
“In today’s extraordinary session, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei … is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the statement said.
Mojtaba Khamenei, born in 1969, is the son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.
The United States and Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, killing Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader’s family members, Iran’s senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets across the Middle East.
This undated file photo shows Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader. Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, was selected as Iran’s new supreme leader, Iran’s Assembly of Experts announced on Sunday.
China has set a target of 4.5 to 5 percent for gross domestic product growth this year, while pledging to strive for better results in practice, according to a government work report submitted Thursday to the country’s top legislature for deliberation.
Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress, Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, noted that the country has the confidence to cope with risks and market volatility and achieve its development goals.
“More proactive and effective” macro policies will be implemented, he said, emphasizing a policy package that combines fiscal, monetary, investment, employment and consumption measures.
Stressing a strong fiscal support, Finance Minister Lan Fo’an told the press conference that China’s fiscal expenditure, new government bond issuance and central transfers to local authorities will all reach record highs this year.
Total investment in infrastructure, public services and other key areas, including power grids, computing power, education and health care, is expected to exceed 7 trillion yuan (about 1 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2026.
Expanding domestic demand remains a top priority this year, with particular focus on building a robust domestic market.
A total of 250 billion yuan in ultra-long special treasury bonds will be earmarked for consumer goods trade-in programs, with another 100 billion yuan for introducing a package of coordinated fiscal and financial policies to support private investment and consumer spending.
Meanwhile, Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People’s Bank of China, said the central bank will flexibly and effectively employ a range of policy instruments, including cuts to required reserve ratios and interest rates, to create a sound monetary environment for development.
Pan also said the country will respond firmly to external shocks amid a complex global environment, noting that authorities will closely monitor external shocks — from geopolitical tensions to financial market swings — and stand ready to contain any potential spillovers.
Balanced trade
China will promote balanced trade growth this year, stabilizing exports while sharing more opportunities in its domestic market, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao told the press conference.
The country is already the world’s second-largest import market, and its growing middle-income group means demand still has considerable room to expand.
At a time when some countries treat markets as a bargaining chip, China is proactively opening its vast market and turning it into opportunities for cooperation, Wang said, pledging more imports of agricultural products, premium consumer goods, advanced equipment and key components.
China is currently the major trading partner for more than 160 countries and regions. Pan said China has no need or intention to seek competitive edges in foreign trade through the depreciation of its currency, adding that the yuan has strengthened against the U.S. dollar so far this year.
Senior officials at the press conference also highlighted measures to promote high-standard opening up this year.
China will expand access to its services market, including pilot programs in the telecom and biotechnology sectors, as well as in wholly foreign-owned hospitals, Wang said. Meanwhile, Wu Qing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, said authorities will work to create a more transparent, stable and predictable market environment to better meet global investors’ demand for Chinese assets.
New engines of growth
Alongside demand-side support, China will step up efforts to shore up new industries and develop new quality productive forces this year.
Nearly 1.3 trillion yuan of fiscal funds will be allocated this year to support science and technology development, an increase of 7.1 percent from the previous year, Lan said.
Zheng said China will intensify its moves to modernize the industrial system, promoting deeper integration of technological and industrial innovation, and of advanced manufacturing and modern services, in an effort to accelerate upgrading old economic engines and fostering new drivers.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to play a pivotal role as AI technology is rapidly spreading across various industries in China. The government will continue to advance its “AI Plus” initiative, Zheng said, forecasting that AI-related industries will be valued at more than 10 trillion yuan by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
China will also move to boost six emerging pillar industries this year, including integrated circuits, the low-altitude economy and intelligent robots. These sectors, approaching 6 trillion yuan in total value last year, are expected to surpass 10 trillion yuan in 2030, Zheng said.
High-tech manufacturing contributed 26 percent of China’s industrial growth last year, and more high-growth sectors are expected to emerge in the coming years, Zheng said, adding that several trillion-yuan-level markets are poised to take shape in the future to create new engines for high-quality development.
A press conference for the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on economy is held in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2026.
He made the claims while addressing leaders from 12 Western Hemisphere countries at the “Shield of the Americas Summit” in Doral, Florida.
“That was the end of the navy. We knocked out their air force, we knocked out their communications, and all telecommunications is gone,” Trump said.
The United States and Israel, on February 28, launched what they described as “major combat operations” against Iran. Iran has since retaliated with a series of counterattacks against Israeli and U.S. targets across the region.
Over the past week, the Iranian military launched around 600 missiles, along with approximately 2,600 drone operations, hitting 200 U.S. and Israeli targets, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday.
In this US Navy released handout, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, on March 1, 2026, at Sea.
I am here at the hospital visiting five of those who were injured in the recent events.
All five are civilians: two Emiratis, one Indian, one Sudanese, and one Iranian.
They are all our responsibility, and, God willing, they will make a full recovery.
The second thing I would like to say is that all is well in the UAE.
It is home to many devoted people – people we are honoured to stand alongside in this country.
I would like to thank our armed forces for the vital role they are playing and for their outstanding service during this war.
I also thank the other security institutions: The Ministry of Interior, the security services, Civil Defence, and my apologies to those I haven’t mentioned by name.
But all of them are performing a duty that honours the UAE and honours everyone who belongs to the UAE.
Another point I would like to mention is that the Emiratis who live in this country fulfilled their duty in a way that brings joy and pride, as was always expected of them. May God protect them.
As for the residents who live among us, our guests and our extended family they have truly honoured us with their stance.
We hope they will forgive us if we have fallen short in any way.
May God protect you and protect them.
We hope they will forgive us if we have fallen short in any way.
We are in a time of war, and I promise them that we will fulfil our duty, because it is our obligation to protect our people and our country.
Another message I would like to convey is directed at the enemies of the UAE:
The UAE is attractive; the UAE is beautiful.
The UAE is a model.
But I say to them: Do not be misled by the UAE’s appearance.
“The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh – we are
no easy prey.”
We will carry out our duty towards our country,
our people, and our residents who are also part of our family.
May God protect the UAE, protect its people, and safeguard everyone who lives in it with dignity and security.
I promise everyone that we will emerge stronger than before.
Without doubt.
May God protect you all.
May God protect you, Your Highness.
The UAE community stands united behind this great pillar of confidence and strength under your leadership.
Thank you.
All thanks to you.”
Thank you.
His Highness engaged in cordial conversation with the injured and their families.The injured and their families expressed their appreciation for His Highness’ visit.
