Reactions and statements from the international community
On March 24, Human Rights Watch announced that Iran's attacks on at least two civilian commercial ships, "Seif C Vision" and "Majori Nari," in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11 could be considered war crimes under international humanitarian law.
On January 15, 2026, massive U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities in Najafabad, Iran, hitting the southern part of the city four times. The day prior, the surrounding areas of Najafabad were struck six times.
On March 24, 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement threatening Israel, warning that continued attacks on Lebanon and Palestinian civilians would result in missile and drone strikes against Israeli gathering places in northern occupied Palestine and the Gaza Strip. The IRGC also did not deny using cluster warheads and targeting civilian areas in recent attacks on Israel.
The Israeli army announced that during recent round-the-clock attacks, it targeted more than 50 sites in western and central Iran, including missile launch and storage facilities, weapons depots, and air defense systems, as well as headquarters in Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed Steve Witkoff in a phone call that he has received approval from Mojtaba Khamenei to negotiate and reach an agreement with the United States, provided that Iran's conditions are met.
On December 15, 2025, the U.S. Central Command posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing U.S. Air Force airstrikes on missile bases and launchers affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran. The caption stated that U.S. forces are using precision weapons to target military sites linked to the Islamic Republic.
A senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official told CBS News that the country has received points from the United States through intermediaries and is reviewing them. Meanwhile, Ismail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, denied any negotiations with the United States in the past 24 hours and reaffirmed Iran's position on the Strait of Hormuz and conditions for ending the conflict.
The Israeli army announced the conclusion of a large-scale airstrike on Tehran, using more than 100 bombs to target military and security centers.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia has agreed to allow the use of the King Fahd Air Base for American military operations against Iran, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman nearing a decision on joining the attacks. Additionally, the United Arab Emirates is lobbying against a ceasefire and is in discussions to participate in the military operations against the Islamic Republic.
Aerial footage shows a massive fire at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, following an explosion. IRGC-affiliated accounts claim the incident was an act of sabotage.
Behnam Amini, a political activist, told Manoto that reports of Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf's negotiations with American officials are speculative and lack certainty, noting that Qalibaf lacks the capacity to build consensus among factions and no practical signs of such contacts have been observed.
U.S. officials informed CBS that Iran has deployed at least 12 Maham 3 and Maham 7 naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz; these advanced sea mines are equipped with magnetic and acoustic sensors and carry hundreds of pounds of explosives.
