2026/03/12U.S. Warns Civilians to Leave Iranian Ports Used by Navy
The U.S. Central Command said on March 11 that civilians in Iran should immediately stay away from port facilities where Iranian naval forces are operating , warning that Tehran is using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz for military activity that threatens international shipping. CENTCOM said dockworkers, administrative staff, and crews of commercial vessels should avoid Iranian naval ships and military equipment. CENTCOM also said that civilian ports used for military purposes lose their protected status and become legitimate military targets under international law , while adding that U.S. forces would continue taking feasible precautions to reduce civilian harm. The warning underlines rising risks around Iranian port infrastructure as maritime tensions intensify. Source: U.S. Central Command; Reuters.
2026/03/12Iran’s World Cup Future Thrown Into Doubt
Iranian officials have cast serious doubt over the national team’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup , with Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali saying Iran cannot attend the tournament “under no circumstances,” citing the war and security concerns for players. Iranian Football Federation chief Mehdi Taj also suggested that sending the men’s team to the United States would be unacceptable under current conditions. At the same time, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said after meeting Donald Trump that the Iranian team remains welcome to play in the tournament in North America, creating a sharp contrast between Tehran’s position and FIFA’s public stance. That leaves Iran’s World Cup status uncertain for now. Source: Reuters; statement by FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Instagram.
2026/03/10U.S. Says Iran’s Missile Strikes Have Fallen Sharply
The U.S. military says Iran’s missile and drone attacks have dropped sharply following recent strikes on the Islamic Republic’s military assets. Dan Caine , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the number of Iranian ballistic missile attacks has fallen by 90% compared with the start of the war, while suicide drone operations are down 83% . Caine also said more than 50 vessels belonging to the Islamic Republic’s navy have been targeted. The remarks suggest Washington is portraying the campaign as a major effort to weaken Iran’s strike capacity across both land and sea domains. Source: U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff / remarks by Dan Caine
2026/03/10U.S. Claims Major Blow to Iran’s Military Network
The U.S. military said it has dropped dozens of 2,000-pound bombs on targets inside Iran, in what appears to be a major strike on the Islamic Republic’s military infrastructure. Dan Caine , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the attacks targeted drone production facilities and mine-laying installations . Caine also said the campaign has significantly weakened Iran’s offensive capabilities, claiming that ballistic missile launches have fallen by 90% . The remarks suggest Washington is presenting the strikes as both a tactical success and a direct effort to reduce Iran’s ability to sustain military operations. Source: Remarks attributed to Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
2026/03/10Bunker-Buster Blitz: U.S. Says It Hit Iran’s Underground Missile Network
U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said recent strikes have targeted Iran’s weapons inventories and its more limited number of missile launchers , as Washington seeks to further degrade Tehran’s ability to sustain missile operations. In earlier Pentagon briefings, U.S. officials said B-2 bombers dropped dozens of “penetrator” bombs (2,000-pound / ~900 kg class) against deeply buried ballistic-missile launchers in southern Iran—signaling an effort to neutralize hardened, underground-linked launch infrastructure rather than only above-ground sites. Source: Reuters.
2026/03/10Tehran Claims Spy Sweep: 30 Detained, Including a Foreign National
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence said it has arrested at least 30 people in recent days, including one foreign national , on accusations it described as “ espionage for the United States and Israel ,” according to Iranian state media cited by Reuters. The ministry also alleged the foreign national acted as a proxy for two countries in the Persian Gulf region , and described the broader detainee group as “spies,” “internal mercenaries,” and “operational agents” linked to Israel and the U.S., Reuters reported. Source: Reuters; Iranian state media.
2026/03/09Fuel Shock Around Tehran: Closures and Reports of Rationing Spread to Suburbs
Citizen messages sent to Iran International say some fuel stations in Tehran, Karaj, and nearby towns have shut down due to shortages, with long queues forming and rationing reported in certain areas. (These accounts are not independently verifiable in real time.) Reported details from residents include: Tehran: Dadman and Yadegar stations reportedly closed on Monday (18 Esfand) due to no gasoline available . Lavasan & northeastern Tehran: Multiple stations reportedly closed since Saturday evening (16 Esfand) , with long lines as remaining stations absorb demand. Pardis: Lines reportedly began around 5:00 a.m. , with some residents claiming gasoline was rationed to 5 liters per car . Karaj: Some stations reportedly closed from 13:00 due to a lack of supply. The reports come amid broader disruption after recent strikes on fuel infrastructure, with international coverage noting petrol shortages and official steps to tighten quotas in Tehran. Source: Iran International, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal.
2026/03/09Gold Coast Breakaway: Five Iran Women’s Team Members Leave Hotel
Iran International reported that five members of Iran’s women’s national football team left the squad’s hotel in Gold Coast, Australia , separating from the team, based on on-site observations by its correspondent Alireza Mohebbi . The report said team-camp officials reacted quickly and searched for the departed players before staff later returned to upper floors and rooms , as a high-security atmosphere surrounded players and personnel. It added that Australian police were present , and that the timing of the team’s return to Iran remains unclear ; the identities of the five players were to be released later. Source: Iran International.
2026/03/09Iran Ends Interim Leadership Council After New Supreme Leader Named
Iran’s Guardian Council spokesperson Hadi Tahan-Nazif said the secretariat of the Assembly of Experts has ended the work of the country’s temporary leadership council following the announcement that Mojtaba Khamenei has been selected as the Islamic Republic’s third supreme leader . The interim body had been formed under Iran’s constitutional mechanism for transitions—often described as a three-member leadership council —to exercise leadership duties until a new supreme leader is chosen. Source: Mehr News Agency; Reuters; Al Jazeera.
2026/03/08Tehran’s Succession: State TV Says Mojtaba Khamenei Named Supreme Leader
Iranian state television reported that the Assembly of Experts has named Mojtaba Khamenei —the son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—as the country’s next (third) supreme leader. The decision is a major and controversial succession step, given long-running sensitivities inside Iran about any perception of dynastic transfer of power , while the supreme leader remains the ultimate authority over the IRGC and Iran’s overall war strategy. Source: Iranian state TV (IRIB), via Reuters; AP.
2026/03/07Fuel Logistics Under Fire: IDF Says Tehran Depots Backed Iran’s Military
Israel’s military said it struck several fuel depots in Tehran , claiming Iranian forces made “direct and frequent” use of the tanks to operate military infrastructure and to distribute fuel to various consumers, including military entities . The IDF described the operation as another step in “deepening the damage” to Iran’s military infrastructure. Iran International, citing the IDF statement, reported the targets as IRGC-linked fuel storage complexes and said the strikes were intelligence-guided . Source: Israel Defense Forces statement (via The Times of Israel); Iran International.
2026/03/07Trump Sets “No Repeat War” Goal for Iran’s Next Leadership
President Donald Trump said the U.S. wants an “acceptable” Iranian leadership outcome that would keep Iran from being “led to war,” arguing Washington does not want to “come back every five years” to fight again. Trump has paired that stance with a hardline end-state: “no deal” except unconditional surrender , while describing surrender as either a declared capitulation or a point where Iran can no longer continue fighting. On energy, Trump downplayed concern about higher U.S. pump prices, saying they should fall rapidly once the conflict ends, even as the White House asks agencies for additional options to blunt the oil-and-gas shock. Source: Reuters; The Wall Street Journal.
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