War in Iran/Middle East/Gulf and beyond
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Friday said the enemies of the Islamic Republic were being defeated in the war against the US and Israel in a written message for the Persian New Year, Nowruz. “At the moment, due to the particular unity that has been created between you our compatriots – despite all the differences in religious, intellectual, cultural and political origins – the enemy has been defeated,” said Khamenei, who is yet to appear in public after being named to succeed his father Ali Khamenei who was killed in an airstrike at the a start of the war. – Iran’s Khamenei says enemy ‘defeated’ in written Nowruz message
(AFP/Al Arabiya) NATO’s mission in Iraq has been fully relocated to Europe, the alliance said, with the last personnel from the non-combat force of several hundred departing the country on Friday. – NATO says Iraq mission relocated to Europe
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) President Donald Trump assailed NATO allies on Friday over their lack of support for the US-Israel war against Iran, calling the longtime US allies “cowards.”. “Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump said in a social media post. – Trump calls NATO ‘cowards’ over lack of support in Iran war
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) The United States military is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, three US officials told Reuters on Friday, as the US-Israeli war on Iran reached the three-week mark. No decision had been made to send troops into Iran itself, the officials told Reuters, but they will build up the capacity for future operations in the region. – US to deploy of thousands of additional troops to the Middle East, officials say
(Al Arabiya) The US ambassador to Beirut on Friday urged Lebanon to recognize the urgency of direct talks with Israel, as Washington pushes for a path to end ongoing hostilities. “The US is keen for peace to prevail in Lebanon and to ensure that there is no war in the country. And I’m doing everything in my power to make that happen,” Ambassador Michel Issa said after meeting the Maronite Patriarch north of Beirut. – US ambassador urges Lebanon to pursue direct talks with Israel
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Israel’s military said Friday that it had struck over 2,000 targets in Lebanon since Hezbollah joined the Middle East war on Iran’s side. Lebanon was drawn into the war on March 2 when Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge the killing of the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. – Israel says 2,000 targets struck in Lebanon
(AFP/Al Arabiya) US Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller on Friday said he was concerned about the impact of the US-Israel war on Iran on inflation due to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Waller, who has since last year backed interest rate cuts over labor market concerns, said he changed his mind in the last two weeks on the pace of interest rate cuts due to concerns about inflation. – US Fed Governor Waller sounds alarm on inflation risk due to Iran war
(BBC) Energy prices have surged following a series of strikes on oil and gas facilities across the Middle East, as the US and Israel’s war with Iran continued through a third week. Oil prices peaked at $119 a barrel on Thursday after Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field prompting Tehran to launch a series of attacks on energy facilities in Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) . Meanwhile, strikes across Iran have continued. On Wednesday, Centcom, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, said it had struck more than 7,800 targets since the conflict began on 28 February. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said 1,394 people, including 210 children, have been killed since the conflict began. Thirteen US service personnel have been killed since the start of the conflict, according to the Department of Defense. – US-Israel war with Iran: Mapping strikes across the Middle East
Belarus
(Amnesty International) Reacting to the release of 250 individuals imprisoned in Belarus on politically motivated grounds, including human rights defenders Marfa Rabkova and Nasta Loika, as a part of a deal with the United States, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said: “While the release of hundreds of individuals unjustly detained on politically motivated charges is a welcome step, it must not be mistaken for justice. Marfa Rabkova, Nasta Loika, Valiantsin Stefanovich and others should not have spent a day in prison. Freedom should never be the product of geopolitical bargaining in human beings. Justice will not be served until those responsible for their unlawful imprisonment are held accountable. – Belarus: Welcome release of 250 political prisoners must not be mistaken for justice – Amnesty International
Venezuela
(Malu Cursino – BBC) Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, has replaced her country’s senior military commanders one day after appointing a new defence minister. Announcing the move on Thursday, Rodríguez said the new appointments would guarantee Venezuela’s “sovereignty, peace, stability and territorial integrity”. The shake-up to Caracas’ top defence team follows US President Donald Trump’s Venezuela raid and capture of President Nicolás Maduro in early January. Since then Rodríguez has distanced herself from her predecessor’s rule and has closely cooperated with Washington, with the two countries restoring diplomatic relations at the start of March. – Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez replaces senior military commanders
