Turkmenistan Closes All But One Border Crossing With Iran
Turkmenistan has closed three of its official border crossings with Iran, with only the Sarakhs point in the south of the country remaining in operation as a restricted corridor for diplomats and authorized, pre-scheduled evacuations.
All other crossings, including Bajgiran and Artyk, are fully closed to regular transit.
Foreign nationals from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and China are being evacuated via Sarakhs with prior authorization coordinated through their embassies.
The Tajik ambassador to Iran, Nizamuddin Zohidi, told RFE/RL's Tajik Service that about 50 people are expected to enter Turkmenistan from Iran through Sarakhs on March 2. He added that because of the increasing number of applicants, embassy staff are now working around the clock, hotlines have been announced, and Iranian authorities are transporting citizens to the border.
The Chinese Embassy also confirmed that limited transit via Sarakhs is possible for Chinese nationals with prior approval.
The US Virtual Embassy for Iran previously noted that US citizens must obtain special authorization from the government of Turkmenistan before approaching the border, with the US Embassy in Ashgabat facilitating the approval process for those seeking to request entry.
Several Turkmen border officials told RFE/RL they are on high alert and concerned about a potential influx of refugees, noting they have no clear instructions from leadership and are not prepared for large-scale crossings, with particular concern about possible attempts via the Caspian Sea.
3 US Fighter Jets Downed By Friendly Fire Over Kuwait, Officials Say
US military officials said three US fighter jets crashed in Kuwait after being hit by friendly fire from Kuwaiti air defenses, the first downing of US aircraft since the US-Israeli war against Iran began over the weekend.
All six of the crew from the three F-15 jets ejected and parachuted to the ground before being located by rescuers, US Central Command said in a statement on March 2.
The incident occurred around 8 a.m. local time as the jets were engaged in "active combat that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones."
In an earlier statement, Kuwait's Defense Ministry also reported the crash of several jets and said crew members were being recovered and transported to hospitals. The Kuwaiti statement made no mention of friendly fire as the cause of the incident.
To read the full report, click here.
Saudi Arabia Partially Closes Major Oil Refinery After Attack
Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry announced on March 2 that it had partially suspended operations at the massive Ras Tanura refinery following an attack that caused a fire at the facility.
The Ras Tanura facility, located along the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf, is one of the largest refineries in the Middle East and a mainstay of the country's energy sector, with a daily refining capacity of 550,000 barrels of oil.
"Some operational units of the refinery were shut down as a precautionary measure, without affecting the supply of petroleum products to the markets," an official source at the Energy Ministry said in a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency.
Earlier, AFP had reported, citing an "informed source," that Ras Tanura had been attacked and was on fire. The blaze has reportedly been contained.
According to a spokesman for the Saudi Defense Ministry, the refinery was targeted by two drones, both of which were intercepted and destroyed.
Ras Tanura is also one of the largest oil ports in the world.
Oil analyst Thorbjorn Soltvedt says the incident marks a significant increase in tensions in the Persian Gulf after a wave of Iranian attacks and firings across the region.
"The attack on Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura refinery marks a significant escalation, with the energy infrastructure of the Persian Gulf countries now clearly within Iran's firing range," Soltvedt added in a note.
"The attack also likely brings Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf states closer to joining US and Israeli military operations against Iran," he said.
Another source told AFP that an air base near the Saudi capital, Riyadh, was targeted by Iranian missiles but they were also intercepted.
This base is home to American forces, and this is the third time in the past three days that it has been attacked.
Saudi Arabia has strongly criticized Iran and warned that it reserves the right to defend itself, including through retaliatory action.
Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure has been targeted by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the past.
Explosions Seen In Tehran On Third Day Of US-Israeli Attacks
On the third day of attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, there were numerous reports on March 2 of explosions in different areas of Tehran.
Meanwhile, the headquarters of the Islamic republic's police force was among the targets in Tehran.
A video posted on Telegram shows a large section of the center's buildings destroyed.
Meanwhile, reports were received of attacks on several military centers in Kurdistan, especially Sanandaj.
EU Statement On Iran Shows Its Diminished Role As Foreign Policy Player
The European Union's 27 member states issued a joint statement expressing "utmost concern" after the bloc's foreign ministers met online for nearly three hours to discuss the American-Israeli attack on Iran over the weekend and Tehran's subsequent military response on several countries in the region.
The statement, issued on March 1, reflects the EU's limited influence in the region and its diminished role as a foreign policy player.
The crisis has highlighted the underlying divisions in the club that are bubbling underneath the surface.
To read the full report, click here.
Resident Describes Israeli Air Strikes Hitting Military Sites Near Homes
RFE/RL spoke with a resident of the Iranian city of Sanandaj who described air strikes he said were carried out by Israel against military and security sites near residential areas. According to the witness, nearby homes were heavily damaged and civilians were injured.
Zelenskyy: No Request Received From Britain For Drone Experts
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied receiving a request from Britain for drone experts to counter Iranian threats in the Middle East.
Speaking hours after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London would deploy experts from Ukraine to counter Iranian drone usage in the Middle East, Zelenskyy said on March 2 that he had not received such a request.
"I have not received any direct requests -- neither from the UK nor from any partners, nor from representatives of the Middle East. I have not discussed this with anyone, so, to be honest, there is nothing more to say on that for now," he said in a chat with RFE/RL and other reporters.
"Regarding our drone and air defense operators, we have very experienced personnel. We are ready to share this knowledge. Let our partners come to us; we can continue this," Zelenskyy said.
Starmer's remarks came after an Iranian drone crashed into a British air base on the island of Cyprus. Iranian missiles and drones also struck near a British military base in Bahrain.
"Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend them," Starmer said. "We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue our defensive actions in the region. And we will also deploy experts from Ukraine, along with our own experts, to help our Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones that attack them."
There was no immediate response from Downing Street to Zelenskyy's denial.
Bombing In Tehran Causes 'Minor Damage' To Golestan Palace
Iranian media are reporting that the Golestan Palace Museum in central Tehran has been damaged by US and Israeli air strikes.
Photos of the historical monument published in the media show that windows were broken and the ceilings in several rooms and mirrored halls collapsed.
An official at the Cultural Heritage Ministry described the damage to the historic palace as "minor."
Tasnim News Agency reported that the museum's artefacts had already been moved to storage.
The Golestan Palace Museum is located on Sabzeh Square in Tehran, near Imam Khomeini Square.
US Will 'Go As Far As We Need To Go' In Iran Conflict, Pentagon Chief Vows
The United States signaled it would press ahead with its aerial assault on Iran, as Tehran continued to volley missiles and drones at targets across the Gulf and Middle East amid fears the conflict could widen beyond the region.
US officials on March 2 announced that a fourth American service member had died as a result of injuries suffered in Iranian retaliatory strikes and three US fighter jets were shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait.
To read the full report on the latest in Iran, click here.
US Defense Secretary Hegseth: Iran Mission Is ‘Clear And Decisive’
In a press briefing at the Pentagon, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said “the world is better off” as a result of the US military operation in Iran. He said that the campaign would not resemble past US wars like the 2003 invasion of Iraq, referred to by opponents as “endless wars.”
