Trump tells Axios he wants direct involvement in who takes over as Iran's next leader, rejecting Khamenei's son as "unacceptable" and citing the need for a figure who can bring "peace and harmony".
We’re closing our live blog now after another dramatic day of developments in the Iran conflict. You can catch up on all the key events from today in the round-up article below.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has condemned the recent drone attack in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which left several citizens injured.
In a statement, Georgia called the attack “unacceptable” and reaffirmed its solidarity with fraternal Azerbaijan, highlighting their strong friendship and strategic partnership.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan has issued a statement saying truck traffic - including transit cargo - has been temporarily suspended at all border crossing points on the Azerbaijan–Iran border.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Iranian drone attack on the Nakhchivan International Airport on Thursday during a call with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov.
"I spoke with my friend, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. I strongly condemned Iran's open and deliberate aggression against Azerbaijan. This aggression is completely unacceptable against both Azerbaijan and other countries in the region, and it once again shows that the Iranian regime is not in its right mind and is out of control," he stated in a post on X.
Türkiye’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the drone attack during a phone call with Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev, expressing support for Baku.
He also expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan and conveying his wishes for a swift recovery following the incident targeting the Azerbaijani exclave Nakhchivan, according to a statement made by the Presidential Communications Directorate.
The Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan has launched a criminal case following Iranian drone attack damages Nakhchivan International Airport.
"The initial investigation has established that one of the unmanned aerial vehicles landed on the terminal of Nakhchivan International Airport, while the other landed near an educational institution in the village of Shekerabad, Babek district,” he said.
"The Special Relationship is in operation right now. We are working with the Americans," Starmer said on UK-U.S. relationship.
"And we're sharing intelligence on 24/7 basis in the usual way. That is the special relationship," he added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday that four additional Typhoon fighter jets would be sent to Qatar as the conflict in the Middle East escalates.
"I can announce today that we're sending four additional typhoon jets to join our squadron in Qatar to strengthen our defensive operations in Qatar, and across the region," Starmer told a press conference on Thursday.
Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement regarding Iran’s drone attacks on Nakhchivan.
“We reiterate that attacks targeting third countries in the region and increasing the risk of the war spreading must cease immediately,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Türkiye will continue to stand by Azerbaijan, as it has historically, the statement added
The Prime Minister will hold a press conference in Downing Street at 2pm, as Defence Secretary John Healey met his counterpart in Southern Cyprus to ease tensions about Britain’s response to drone attacks on the island.
Sir Keir said: “I know that the situation in the Middle East is worrying for people across the UK and in the region."
The State of Kuwait has strongly condemned Iran’s attempted attack on Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described such attempts as a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed Iranian drone attacks in the Nakhchivan exclave during a phone call with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, a Turkish diplomatic source said.
British Foreign Minister Hamish Falconer said on Thursday the Iranian crisis is expected to last weeks or possibly months, not just days.
“The situation is evolving, but there are indications that this is a crisis, not of days, but of weeks and possibly months,” Falconer told parliament.
“Our Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defense, the State Border Service and all other Special Forces – have been brought to full combat readiness level one and must be prepared to carry out any operation,” President Ilham Aliyev said during a meeting of the Security Council.
During a meeting of the Security Council, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev issued a strong condemnation of the strikes on Nakhchivan:
“Today, Iran committed an act of terror against the territory of Azerbaijan, against the state of Azerbaijan. The Iranian state fired unmanned aerial vehicles on the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.”
“The targets of the attack were civilian facilities. The state of Azerbaijan vehemently condemns this ugly act of terror, and those who committed it must be immediately held accountable. Iranian officials must provide an explanation to the Azerbaijani side, an apology must be offered, and those who committed this terrorist act must be held criminally liable,” he emphasised.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, spoke about the drone strikes on Nakhchivan with his Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov.
Bayramov described the strikes as a violation of international law that heightens regional tensions, and called on Iran to provide clear explanations and take urgent steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Saidov added: "During the exchange, Azerbaijani colleague informed about the recent incident involving a drone attack on the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, which resulted in injuries among civilians and damage to infrastructure.
"In turn, we expressed our country's serious concern about these attacks. We emphasised that such actions, which contradict the principles of international law and violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of another state, are absolutely unacceptable."
Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands will send naval assets to protect Southern Cyprus in the coming days, Rome's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament on Thursday.
French media have issued a correction.
France authorises U.S. aircraft a temporary presence of U.S. aircraft on certain bases located in the country on a temporary basis calling it a "routine procedure for NATO member states", a French army general staff official said on Thursday.
"As part of our relations with the United States, the presence of their aircraft has been temporarily authorised on our bases" in the region, a spokeswoman for the military general staff told Agence France-Presse.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday (5 March) they struck a U.S. tanker in the northern Gulf, causing a fire aboard the vessel, according to state media.
There was no immediate independent confirmation of the attack or of a similar incident Iran claimed earlier this week.
In the statement, the Guards said that in times of war, “passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be under the control of the Islamic Republic.”
Two civilians were injured after drones launched from Iranian territory struck Nakhchivan International Airport on 5 March. One drone hit the airport terminal, while another fell near a school in Shakarabad village, authorities said.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks carried out from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said, adding that the incident “contradicts the norms and principles of international law.”
The Iranian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, and two nearby schools were evacuated to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Three Iranian drones have reportedly hit Nakhchivan Airport in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. More information is expected shortly.
Nakhchivan International Airport lies about 10 km from the border with Iran.
The Israel Defense Forces say their air force struck and destroyed a ballistic missile launcher in the Iranian city of Qom that was “armed and ready to launch toward the State of Israel.”
A defense system in Isfahan intended to target aircraft was also hit by IDF, military officials reported.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke overnight with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, according to the Israeli Defense Ministry.
Hegseth was quoted as telling Katz, “Keep going until the end — we’re with you.”
Meanwhile, state media in Iran reported explosions heard in Tehran and Karaj, reflecting continued military activity in and around the Iranian capital as tensions escalate across the region.
Türkiye has drawn up contingency plans to manage a possible influx of refugees from Iran, according to AnewZ's Adam Morrow in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi told reporters on Wednesday that the measures could include the creation of “buffer zones” along the shared border.
Çiftçi added that currently there's no unusual movement at the three border gates, and emphasised that Türkiye could accommodate up to 90,000 people in the event of a sudden arrival.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the deadly U.S. torpedo attack on the IRIS Dena as an “atrocity” and warned that Washington “will come to bitterly regret” the incident.
“The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores,” Araghchi said on X.
At least 87 sailors were killed, and 32 rescued, after the frigate sank off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
The Israeli Defense Forces on Thursday (5 March) released a video showing what was describes as its air force en route to Iran.
Israel conducted overnight strikes on Thursday (5 March) targeting several Hezbollah command centres in Beirut, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The IDF described the operations as “a wave of intelligence-based strikes,” noting that one of the centres had been used by Hezbollah’s aerial unit.
The attacks follow a week of projectile fire from Lebanon into Israel. Evacuation orders have been issued for dozens of villages and settlements in southern Lebanon, as well as areas near Beirut.
Outside of Iran, Lebanon has suffered the highest death toll in the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Iran’s armed forces said Thursday that it “respects the sovereignty of Türkiye” and denied any missile launch toward Turkish territory.
The statement comes after Türkiye reported that NATO air defences destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile headed into its airspace on Wednesday (5 March).
The incident marks the first time a NATO member has been directly drawn into the escalating Middle East conflict.
A flight carrying German tourists evacuated from Muscat, Oman, has arrived safely in Frankfurt, authorities reported.
Qatar has begun evacuating residents living near the U.S. Embassy in Doha as a temporary precaution, the Qatar Ministry of Interior said. “Suitable accommodation has been provided for them as part of necessary preventive measures,” the ministry added in a statement on X.
The move follows drone attacks on U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and the U.S. consulate in Dubai earlier this week.
The U.S. State Department has urged American citizens to leave the Middle East immediately, even as many flights in the region have been canceled or suspended.
Azerbaijani Airlines (AZAL) conducted a special flight from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, safely bringing back more than 200 Azerbaijani citizens to Baku.
Azerbaijan has also assisted with ground transport, helping people travel from Iran into its territory.
Authorities say additional repatriation flights are expected in the coming days.
Outgoing projectiles streaked across the night sky over southern Beirut early Thursday (March 5), authorities reported.
Thousands of Lebanese have already fled their homes in Hezbollah-controlled suburbs of southern Beirut and other southern areas, which were heavily affected during the 2024 conflict.
The overnight rocket activity highlights ongoing instability in Lebanon as regional tensions continue to escalate.
Sirens echoed across Jerusalem overnight on Thursday (5 March) after the Israeli army reported identifying missiles launched from Iran toward its territory.
Hours earlier, alerts were issued across Tel Aviv, where witnesses saw interceptions lighting up the night sky.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said Thursday that its forces intercepted several drones approaching from the east.
One drone was destroyed near the northern Al-Jawf region, close to the Jordanian border, while three others were intercepted over the central Al-Kharj province earlier the same morning.
The ministry confirmed the intercepts on X, underscoring ongoing security concerns along Saudi Arabia’s northern and central borders amid the escalating Middle East conflict.
At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed and 32 rescued after a U.S. submarine struck the IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lankan authorities said Thursday. The survivors are recovering at the National Hospital in Galle, with most suffering only minor injuries and expected to be released the same day, authorities said.
Officials said 87 bodies were recovered by military rescuers following an early-morning distress call from the warship on Wednesday, and search and rescue operations continued for an estimated 60 crew members still unaccounted for.
The strike, occurring hundreds of miles from the Gulf amid U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran, marks a dramatic escalation of the conflict.
“An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters… Quiet death,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the Pentagon.
A Pentagon video released showed the vessel hit by a massive explosion at the rear, lifting it from the water before it sank from the stern.
The first UK government-chartered flight to evacuate British nationals from the Middle East failed to depart as planned, Sky News reported Thursday.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday (5 March) urged de-escalation in the Middle East while stressing that Iran must be prevented from developing nuclear weapons.
“The world wants to see a de-escalation,” Albanese said during a joint press conference in Canberra, adding that the region has seen “attacks on civilian and tourist areas as well.”
Carney warned that hostilities are expanding and said certain conditions must be met before a ceasefire could be possible. “Right now we have a spreading of hostilities… there needs to be the ending of targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure,” he said.
Asked whether Canada could join military action if the conflict widens, Carney said he could “never categorically rule out participation,” adding that Canada would “stand by our allies” and defend its citizens if necessary.
A charter flight carrying American citizens departed the Middle East on Wednesday (4 March) the U.S. State Department said, without disclosing further details.
The flight marks the first confirmed evacuation of people from the area affected by conflict facilitated by the United States, days after Washington and Israel launched military operations targeting Iran.
The State Department added that “additional flights will be surged throughout the region.”
“For operational security purposes, additional information about ongoing transportation operations will not be released at this time,” the department said in a media note issued Wednesday evening.
A senior State Department official said earlier on Wednesday that the agency had assisted nearly 6,500 Americans by providing critical information and helping arrange transportation options.
A preliminary round of Lebanon-Israel talks has concluded in Washington, marking a tentative diplomatic step as regional tensions rise. The develop...
Spain’s plan to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants is facing early resistance, with immigration officers wa...
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) has emerged as a landmark U.S.-backed connectivity project in the South Caucasus, li...
Greenland’s prime minister has appointed his predecessor to oversee foreign affairs, as pressure from Washington intensifies over the Arctic ...
Türkiye’s foreign minister has appealed for restraint and diplomacy as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz unsettle global markets, war...
Spain’s plan to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants is facing early resistance, with immigration officers warning they may strike over a lack of preparation and resources.
Greenland’s prime minister has appointed his predecessor to oversee foreign affairs, as pressure from Washington intensifies over the Arctic island’s future.
Türkiye’s foreign minister has appealed for restraint and diplomacy as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz unsettle global markets, warning that any military attempt to resolve the crisis could deepen instability rather than ease it.
The Kremlin has defended sweeping internet restrictions across Russia, saying measures such as blocking messaging platforms and virtual private networks are necessary for national security rather than a return to past controls.
At a time of deepening global polarisation, rising conflict and shrinking space for dialogue, Pakistan is stepping into a historic role. Diplomatic engagements in Islamabad, bringing together regional powers amid the Iran crisis, signal both urgency and opportunity.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any Iranian ships approaching ports in the Strait of Hormuz would be "immediately eliminated" on Monday, as the U.S. started its blockade.
A preliminary round of Lebanon-Israel talks has concluded in Washington, marking a tentative diplomatic step as regional tensions rise. The development comes as the United States launches a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Centre-right Peter Magyar's Tisza Party has won a landslide in Hungary after a night of counting in the Hungarian election. Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat after 16 years in power. "We have done it. Tisza and Hungary have won this election", Magyar said to cheering supporters in Budapest.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that talks with Pakistan had been positive, while Türkiye stressed the importance of stronger ties between Kabul and Islamabad.
Türkiye’s foreign minister has appealed for restraint and diplomacy as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz unsettle global markets, warning that any military attempt to resolve the crisis could deepen instability rather than ease it.
A shift in regional trade dynamics is taking shape in the South Caucasus, as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan outlines current and future transport routes for Armenian goods.
There are cautious signs of progress towards peace, as negotiating teams from the U.S. and Iran consider returning to Islamabad later this week to resume talks aimed at ending the Gulf conflict.
A fresh international effort to safeguard the Caspian Sea has received a significant boost after the World Bank approved funding for a wide-ranging environmental programme aimed at reversing years of ecological damage.
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) has emerged as a landmark U.S.-backed connectivity project in the South Caucasus, linking Azerbaijan and Armenia through a proposed transit corridor seen as both an economic lifeline and a key test of long-term regional peace.
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