Reactions and statements from the international community
CENTCOM released fresh footage showing strikes on the Islamic Republic regime, with the first strike hitting a hardened, dome-shaped military storage bunker on Kharg Island.
American-Iranian Shiite scholar Hamza Sodagar spoke at a Texas mosque event about establishing Iranian-led Shiite seminaries in the U.S. and Canada, as directed by Ayatollah Khamenei to grow Islam in the United States through local residents.
On Saturday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump called on countries that rely on oil from the Strait of Hormuz to participate in securing passage through the strategic waterway, stating the U.S. would provide assistance. He specifically mentioned China, France, Japan, South Korea, and Britain, without providing further details.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island were attacked last night using HIMARS artillery rockets from territories in the UAE, specifically near Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai. Araghchi condemned the attacks, describing them as unacceptable and dangerous, particularly given the populated areas involved.
Mehdi Mahdavi-Azadi questioned the whereabouts and condition of Mojtaba Khamenei on the "Chimandaz" program, asking who is governing in his place if he is incapacitated or unconscious. He suggested that Khamenei's inability to manage the situation has led to dissatisfaction among some ruling clerics.
In the third week of the conflict, the United States and Israel continue to launch heavy attacks against Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. will reopen the Strait of Hormuz "by any means necessary" soon.
U.S. President Trump rejects calls for a ceasefire in the conflict with Iran, with a White House official stating that the mission will continue without interruption. Mediation efforts by Oman and Egypt have stalled, and Iran refuses to engage in talks until U.S. and Israeli strikes cease.
On Friday, March 12, Tehran's Police Station 148, located at the intersection of Enghelab and Palestine streets, was targeted in an airstrike; the account 'Vahid Online' published a video showing the aftermath of the attack.
Images from the funeral ceremony of Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Defense Council and advisor to Ali Khamenei, were published by the state-run news agency IRNA at Imamzadeh Saleh in Tehran. Shamkhani, who survived an Israeli attack during the 12-day war, was killed on March 9 during the Israeli and American attack and was reportedly buried without a head, according to the state-run newspaper Farhikhtegan.
According to Reuters, U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected calls for diplomatic talks with Iran and instead opted to continue military operations aimed at weakening the Tehran regime; meanwhile, Iran's new ruler, Mojtaba Khamenei, has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz and vowed that campaigns against Iran will not succeed.
The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic responded to the US Secretary of War's comments about Mojtaba Khamenei's apparent absence, stating that Khamenei is fulfilling his duties as per the constitution and will continue to do so.
The IRGC Aerospace Force targeted the UAE consulate in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with a one-way attack drone. #OperationLionsRoar #OperationEpicFury
