Reactions and statements from the international community
On Sunday, February 29, 2025, the Vahid Online user account published videos showing heavy airstrikes in northern Tehran near the Siahak intersection, reportedly targeting the Ministry of Intelligence.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of the Islamic Republic, announced in a video message that the "Selected Guardians Council for Governing the Country" has commenced its operations and stated that the Islamic Republic's armed forces are "powerfully crushing the bases of the enemies."
An Iranian regime vessel was reportedly bombed in the Persian Gulf, with the source suggesting this incident undermines the government's portrayal as a powerful military force. The incident raises questions about the regime's military capabilities and control.
Two OPEC+ sources informed Reuters that the group is likely to consider increasing oil production by around 411,000 barrels per day or more, a significant rise from the initial estimate of 137,000 barrels per day. This decision comes amid halted oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz due to Tehran's threat to close the strategic shipping route.
Guards at the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan successfully repelled an attack allegedly organized by Iran's IRGC Quds Force, resulting in ten attackers killed and multiple others wounded. The incident reportedly involved both Quds Force agents and Iranian regime supporters, including social media operatives.
An observer notes that current actions are significantly weakening the Iranian regime, with IRGC retaliatory responses notably smaller than those seen in June, suggesting either diminished military capacity or reduced willingness to escalate.
On Sunday, the United States and Israel carried out intense bombings of the Tehran IRGC field and the Joint Chiefs of Staff building of the Iranian army, along with several explosions in areas including Vanak, Shariati, Azadi, Seyed Khandan, and Velenjak.
Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, posted on X with an image of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stating: "America and Israel have burned the heart of the Iranian nation; we will burn their hearts." Ali Khamenei was killed in attacks on Tehran by America and Israel on Saturday.
On February 29, 2025, Roberto Metsola, President of the European Parliament, tweeted that the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S. missile strikes on the Islamic Republic marks the end of an era of dictatorship in Iran and the beginning of a time for freedom after 47 years.
In a speech in Tir 1404 (April 2023), Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei boasted about the impact of the Islamic Republic on the Zionist regime. However, on 9 Esfand (March 1, 2025), the military force he previously claimed to have weakened took action against Khamenei.
Iranian state television reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched a new round of missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. military bases in the region. U.S. President Donald Trump responded, threatening a severe retaliation if Iran proceeds with further attacks.
The Iranian News Agency (IRNA) reported that a council comprising the President, the Head of the Judiciary, and a jurist from the Guardian Council will temporarily assume the duties of the Leader of the Islamic Republic. Unconfirmed reports had previously suggested the deaths of Masoud Pezeshkian and Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje'i, the heads of the executive and judicial branches, respectively.
