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.
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.
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.
Oil Prices Jump 10 Percent As Wholesale Gas Rises On Market
The price of Brent oil jumped by 10 percent on March 2, reaching around $80 per barrel, on the third day of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Analysts predict that with the outbreak of a new conflict in the Middle East, oil prices may rise to $100 per barrel.
The global oil index has been on an upward trend this year, reaching $73 per barrel on March 2, its highest level since July, a rise that was reinforced by growing concerns about possible US attacks on Iran that occurred the following day.
According to commercial sources, after Tehran warned ships about passing through the Strait of Hormuz, most tanker owners and major oil companies have stopped shipping crude oil, fuel, and liquefied natural gas through the strait.
More than 20 percent of the world's exported oil moves through the Strait of Hormuz.
Prices are expected to reach around $92 per barrel when trading begins.
According to the report, the Iranian crisis has also forced Asian governments and refiners to examine oil reserves and alternative transportation routes and sources.
Separately, the prices of wholesale gas reportedly rose over 25 percent on the Dutch and British markets on March 2.
Zelenskyy: Use 'Chance For Change In Iran' Wisely
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it is crucial to properly utilize the "chance for change for Iran" in reference to the ongoing joint US-Israeli military attacks on Iran, the latest round of which killed Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic republic, and several high-ranking military commanders.
In a post on X on March 1, Zelenskyy added that it is important that "American determination, the determination of everyone in the world truly work."
"The Iranian people have long effectively been alone against violence -- against the Iranian regime," he wrote. "This regime, which has killed tens of thousands of its own citizens just in recent months, which has always fueled and organized wars in the region, which provided Russia with 'shaheds' and the technology for their production -- this regime has brought this attitude upon itself."
He wrote that the Ukrainian intelligence agency and the Foreign Ministry are "closely monitoring" developments in Iran.
Pezeshkian Appoints IRGC General As Acting Defense Minister
Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian has appointed Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) General Majid Ebnolreza as acting defense minister. He previously served as chief deputy minister to Aziz Nasirzadeh, who was killed in an Israeli strike on February 28.
Mohammad Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy for communications and information of Pezeshkian's office, announced the news on social media.
"By order of President Pezeshkian, Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Ebnolreza has been appointed as the acting Minister of Defense," he wrote on X.
Central Asian Leaders Express Concern Over Middle East
Central Asian leaders have expressed concern about the situation in the Middle East following Iranian missile and drone attacks on Gulf states hosting US forces and US–Israeli strikes on Iran.
Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev expressed "serious" concern over the escalation of the conflict in calls with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, his office said.
Toqaev expressed regret over the damage to civilian infrastructure in the UAE and emphasized that attacks on civilian facilities in the Gulf region deserve strong condemnation.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Baxtiyor Saidov emphasized the importance of respecting sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law, and highlighted the need for a peaceful resolution -- but did not directly condemn the Iranian attacks -- in calls with the leaders of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan.
Kyrgyzstan also expressed concern over the escalating situation and urged restraint and peaceful resolution, while Tajik President Emomali Rahmon sent condolences to Iran over the death of its supreme leader.
Turkmenistan, which shares a long border with Iran, has remained silent in official state media and government outlets, issuing no statements on neither the Iranian strikes nor the wider conflict. On March 2, the country closed all of its border crossings to regular transit.
Grossi: No Indication Iran's Nuclear Facilities Hit
Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that there is "no indication" that Israel and the United States have attacked Iran's nuclear facilities, but so far the IAEA has not been able to contact Iranian nuclear officials.
"We have no indication that any of the nuclear installations, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor, or other nuclear fuel cycle facilities, have been damaged or hit," Grossi said in a statement to the board of governors of the IAEA on March 2.
"Efforts to contact the Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities...continue, with no response so far. We hope this indispensable channel of communication can be reestablished as soon as possible," he added.
Grossi urged all parties to exercise "maximum restraint" in avoiding further escalation.
"To achieve the long-term assurance that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons and for maintaining the continued effectiveness of the global non-proliferation regime, we must return to diplomacy and negotiations," he added.
Grossi concluded his remarks by saying that contacts with Iran have not been interrupted but are "very limited."
Red Crescent Says 555 People Killed In US-Israeli Attacks On Iran
The Iranian Red Crescent Society announced on March 1 that 555 people have been killed so far in joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
According to the report, the attacks affected 131 cities in Iran and rescue, relief, transportation, and medical services operations for the injured are ongoing.
The director of East Azerbaijan Crisis Management also announced that over the past two days, various locations in the cities of Tabriz, Sarab, Maragheh, and Shabestar have been attacked, resulting in a total of 42 deaths.
It was not immediately clear how many of those killed were civilians.
The death toll from a missile strike on the Shajre Tayyiba elementary school in Hormozgan Province on February 28 has reportedly reached 148. A local official said more than 95 people were injured in the attack, most of whom were students.
These numbers could not be independently verified.
Larijani Says Iran 'Will Not Negotiate' With US
Iranian Supreme National Security Council chief Ali Larijani said Tehran "will not negotiate" with Washington, hours after US President Donald Trump vowed to continue to punish the "terrorists" with the "full force" of the American military.
In a post on X early on March 2, Larijani said: "We will not negotiate with the United States."
"Today, the Iranian nation is defending itself," he added.
To read the full report, click here.