Tehran Under Heavy Bombardment As Attacks Intensify
Residents of Iran’s capital witnessed one of the heaviest bombardments of the past week in the early hours of March 6, according to news and reports published on social media.
Images shared on social media indicate that the attacks were particularly intense in central parts of Tehran and around major government buildings.
In addition to the city center, reports also point to attacks on other parts of Tehran in both the eastern and western areas of the city. Many witnesses in these reports mentioned hearing fighter jets and, in some cases, being able to see them in the skies over Tehran.
Some users also reported houses shaking and some localized power outages in areas near the bombed locations.
Earlier, Israel’s Chief of Staff said the military campaign against Iran was entering a new phase, while several U.S. officials -- including defense chief Pete Hegseth -- warned that the intensity of the strikes could increase in the coming days.
Germany's Merz Warns Against 'Syrian Scenario' And 'Proxy Wars' In Iran
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says that a lasting conflict in Iran could have "uncontrollable" consequences for the Middle East and Europe.
"A prolonged continuation of this war would not be in our interest," Merz said at a craftsmanship exhibition in Munich on March 6.
"The same applies to the possible collapse of the Iranian state or proxy conflicts fought on Iranian soil," he added, warning of the possibility of increased migration from Iran if a "Syrian scenario" occurs there. Years of conflict in Syria have forced millions to flee to Europe, many of them to Germany.
Merz spoke after a trip to Washington, where he met US President Donald Trump on March 3 and sought to ensure that Ukraine's defense against the Russia is not pushed aside by the war in the Middle East.
"The Iranian people have the right to decide their own destiny.... Iran must not become a theatre for proxy wars, and the Iranian state as such must remain functional," Merz said, while adding that Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs "must be verifiably terminated."
With reporting by dpa
Fertilizer Shortfall Looms Amid Wars In The Middle East And Ukraine
Severe disruptions to shipping in the Middle East, caused by the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, are affecting global fertilizer producers, Reuters reports.
Russia, the world's largest exporter, may not be able to compensate for the shortfall, the news agency cites industry sources as saying.
With Washington, Tel-Aviv, and Tehran trading air attacks, the conflict, which is about to enter its second week, has impacted shipping routes via the Strait of Hormuz, which channels about a third of global fertilizer trade.
Despite Russia already accounting for about one-fifth of global trade, its own war against Ukraine, launched by the Kremlin in 2022, and domestic policies may prevent its producers from filling the potential gap.
Recent Ukrainian drone attacks on some of Moscow's largest plants have temporarily knocked out the country's production capacity. Combined with export caps intended to protect the domestic market, Russia's export capabilities are now constrained.
Besides, while Russian fertilizer industry has been largely exempted from Western sanctions to ensure global food security, it still faces payment and logistics problems related to those sanctions.
Russia primarily sells its fertilizers to Brazil, India, and China, and it also has some exports to the United States.
With reporting by Reuters
UN Stockpiles Aid in Uzbekistan Amid Iran Crisis
The Termez logistics hub, located on the Uzbek–Afghan border, has become a key center for emergency relief in Central Asia.
Originally set up to support humanitarian aid for Afghanistan, it is now part of the global stockpile network of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), allowing for the rapid deployment of core relief items such as tents, blankets, sleeping mats, kitchen sets, jerry cans, and solar lamps.
On March 5, the UNHCR said in a situation update that these pre-positioned supplies remain limited but can be deployed quickly if the displacement of people increases. The agency also noted that it is coordinating closely with governments and humanitarian partners across the region.
The UNHCR update highlights that the recent escalation in the war involving Iran has displaced over 300,000 people, mostly within their own countries. Most of the displacement remains internal, and the agency has not reported any major cross-border movements from Iran so far.
The report also notes that return of Afghans from Iran is continuing, adding pressure to already fragile humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan.
Central Asian governments are monitoring the situation closely.
Regional foreign ministers held a conversation about the evolving situation in the Middle East to coordinate preparedness and exchange information.
In Kazakhstan, officials said that no formal requests for refugee admission related to the Iran conflict have been received.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev said that protocols are in place for refugee applications and relevant government agencies are prepared to carry out any necessary measures.
Israel Pounds Beirut After Ordering Evacuation Of Southern Suburbs
Israel carried out heavy air strikes on Beirut on March 6 after ordering residents to evacuate the entire southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, a major escalation of the war with Iran that began a week ago alongside the United States.
Israeli forces said the strikes targeted Hezbollah command centers and weapons depots after the Iran-backed group fired on Israel earlier in the week.
Explosions lit up the sky over the southern districts as thousands of civilians fled, with many forced to sleep in cars, on beaches, or in central Beirut streets.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks had killed at least 123 people and wounded 683. The scale of the evacuation and bombardment marks one of the most intense attacks on Beirut in years.
With reporting by Reuters
US, South Korea Discuss Redeploying Patriot Missiles Amid Iran War
South Korea and the United States are discussing whether to redeploy some US Patriot missile defense systems currently stationed in South Korea to support operations in the ongoing war with Iran, according to Seoul’s foreign minister, Cho Hyun.
The talks follow media reports that certain Patriot units had recently been moved to Osan Air Base from other locations within South Korea.
The discussions come as Washington reviews military deployments during the Iran war.”
The potential shift has raised attention in South Korea because Patriot batteries help defend against North Korean missile threats.
Officials emphasized that any decision would take into account the need to maintain the peninsula’s defensive readiness.
With reporting by Reuters
Tears Of Joy And Sorrow: Mixed Emotions In Tehran As Toll Of War Mounts
With Iran coming under daily attack from US and Israeli air strikes, the toll of the expanding war is adding up both physically and mentally for the country's 92 million people.
Tehran came under intense bombardment in the early hours of March 6, with witnesses reporting multiple explosions, particularly around major government buildings, as the United States and Israel look to weaken the Islamic republic, which has already seen Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior military leaders killed.
“The destruction has been very extensive. We’re experiencing very conflicting emotions," one woman who lives in the capital told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
"One of them is happiness about the dictator being gone, and, for example, the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards and people like that -- honestly, you can’t say their deaths aren’t sweet; they really are. But, on the other hand, parts of the city that we had memories with for years are being destroyed,” she added.
Read the full article by Kian Sharifi, Roya Karimi Majd, and Vahid Pourostad here.
Tehran Hit By Most Intense Strikes Of War
Iran's capital city saw the heaviest strikes witnessed so far on March 6, the seventh day of joint US-Israeli air attacks, according to social videos shared online. Verified user-generated video showed central areas of Tehran and government buildings coming under intense attacks.
RFE/RL's graphics department has issued a map outlining the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Paralympian To Miss Milano Cortina Games Due To Travel Conditions Amid War
Two-times Paralympian Aboulfazl Khatibi, Iran's sole entrant to the 2026 Paralympic Milano Cortina Games, will not participate due to the unsafe travel conditions in the Middle East.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed on March 6 that Iran's National Paralympic Committee (NPC) could not find a safe route for Khatibi, a cross-country skier, to make it to Italy.
“Since the conflict began on Saturday, the IPC and Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee have been working tirelessly behind-the-scenes with the NPC and national ski federation to find alternative routes for the safe passage of the Iran delegation to the Games. However, with the conflict ongoing across the Middle East, the risk to human life is too high," the IPC said.
The games' opening ceremony is set to take place later on March 6 in Verona.
Trump Says Only Iran 'Unconditional Surrender' Acceptable
US President Donald Trump says that he will not strike a deal with Tehran other than "unconditional surrender."
"After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before," Trump said in a social media post on March 6.