US-Israel Attacks Iran Highlights: Deal was within reach, Trump bombed negotiating table, says Iran Minister

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said a nuclear agreement was close before US strikes on Iran, accusing President Donald Trump of sabotaging diplomacy by launching attacks during negotiations.

“A deal was within reach. We left Geneva with understanding that we'd seal a deal next time we meet,” Araghchi said. “Those who wanted to spoil diplomacy succeeded in their mission. But it was Mr. Trump, yet again, who ultimately ordered bombing of the negotiating table.”

Iranian state media said the death toll from a strike on a school had climbed to 165, as casualties continued to rise following the attack.

US President Donald Trump said American forces had sunk nine Iranian naval vessels and largely destroyed Iran’s naval headquarters in recent strikes, according to a post on Truth Social.

“I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important,” Trump wrote. “We are going after the rest — They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also! In a different attack, we largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters. Other than that, their Navy is doing very well.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he supports US efforts to end Iran’s nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes but warned that US–Israeli strikes on Iran carry serious risks of wider Middle East escalation.

“We share the US’s interest in seeing an end to this regime’s terror and a halt to dangerous nuclear and ballistic armament,” Merz told reporters.

He cautioned that military action could trigger broader conflict across the region. “This is not without risk. We do not know how far the region will be drawn into escalation by Iran’s harsh counter strikes,” he added.

Israel’s military said on social media that all senior figures in what it called Iran’s "Axis of Terror" had been eliminated, listing top Iranian commanders and leaders of allied militant groups across the region.

In a post on X, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said: “It’s official: All senior terrorist leaders of Iran’s Axis of Terror have been eliminated,” followed by names of Iranian military chiefs and heads of groups including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.

The list included Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, armed forces chief Abdol-Rahim Mosavi and former chief Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, as well as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Hossein Salami and senior IRGC and Quds Force officers. It also named leaders of Hezbollah such as Hassan Nasrallah and Fuad Shukr, Hamas figures including Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, and Houthi armed forces chief Mohammed al-Ghamari.

The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei offers hope for change, his France-based nephew Mahmoud Moradkhani said on Sunday, describing the moment as a “step forward” for Iranians opposed to clerical rule.

“Like most Iranians, I am happy,” Moradkhani, a doctor and son of one of Khamenei’s sisters, said by telephone from northern France. “I am very happy about the death of Ali Khamenei. I think it’s a step forward, a hope.”

He added that war and foreign military involvement could slow political progress inside Iran, but suggested upheaval might be unavoidable: “War and military interventions slow down a bit political process, which is a bit regrettable, but maybe we had to go through this step.”

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they struck three US- and UK-linked oil tankers with missiles in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, according to state media on Sunday.

Security risks to commercial traffic rose sharply over the past 24 hours. More than 200 vessels, including oil and liquefied natural gas carriers, dropped anchor across the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters, according to shipping data on Sunday. Maritime operators cited heightened threat levels and uncertainty over safe passage through one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a targeted assassination carried out without a formal declaration of war. In a post on X, he expressed condolences to Khamenei’s family, the Iranian people and the global Shia community, and said the party stood in solidarity with them during the crisis.

Mallikarjun Kharge said India’s foreign policy is rooted in peaceful dispute resolution, dialogue and respect for international law, adding that the West Asia conflict runs counter to India’s values of non-violence, non-alignment and the principle of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, said he is leading efforts to manage a transition to a new government after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In an interview with Fox News, he said he had support from “millions of Iranian people” and expected elements of the military to side with the movement, adding that a transition plan was in place.

Reza Pahlavi said the process would aim for a democratic outcome allowing Iranians to choose their future system, and estimated a transitional period of up to a few years, with the first 100 days being critical.

India’s Consulate General in Istanbul said it is monitoring disruption caused by flight cancellations and diversions at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport and is in contact with airlines and affected Indian passengers. 

In an advisory on March 1, it urged Indian citizens to follow airline and airport instructions and said assistance is available via helpline +90 541 238 5632 and official email contacts.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warning it could push the Middle East into prolonged instability and weaken international norms against targeting heads of state. 

In a post on X, he urged all sides to step back from escalation and called for an immediate ceasefire, protection of civilians and a return to dialogue. He also appealed to Tehran to exercise restraint while saying Malaysia would act as needed to safeguard its national interests.

The Indian Embassy in the UAE said an Indian national injured during recent Iranian attacks is out of danger and receiving treatment, adding that officials are in contact with hospital authorities and providing all possible assistance.

The UAE defence ministry said its air force and air defence units have intercepted 165 Iranian ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 drones since the attacks began on February 28. Of these, 152 missiles and both cruise missiles were destroyed, while most drones were intercepted, though some struck civilian sites causing damage and casualties.

The ministry said three foreign nationals were killed and 58 people of multiple nationalities, including Indians, were injured. It added that debris from interceptions caused property damage but affirmed the UAE’s readiness to counter threats and protect residents.

Air India said it has extended the suspension of all flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until 2359 hrs IST on March 2, citing the continuing Middle East security situation. The airline also cancelled several Europe services scheduled for March 2, including flights between Amritsar and Birmingham, Delhi and Zurich, Delhi and Copenhagen, and the Birmingham–Delhi sector.

It said other Europe and North America flights would continue on revised routings through available Middle East airspace, likely increasing travel time. Services to New York JFK and Newark will operate with technical stops in Rome.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Omani counterpart that Tehran is open to any serious efforts aimed at de-escalating the conflict, Oman’s foreign ministry said, signalling potential diplomatic space amid ongoing hostilities. Notably, Oman had been mediating indirect negotiations over nuclear enrichment.

Iranian media said more than 40 security personnel, mostly border guards, were killed in a strike on a border regiment headquarters in the western city of Mehran near Iraq. The attack also caused heavy damage to nearby buildings, the Mehr news agency reported.

MSC, the global shipping company, said it had ordered all vessels operating in or heading to the Gulf to move to designated safe shelter areas and suspended new cargo bookings to the Middle East, citing security risks from the regional conflict.

Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call on the escalating regional crisis, with Erdogan warning that ongoing conflicts could have serious regional and global security consequences if not addressed. He said Turkiye and Saudi Arabia were working to resolve disputes through dialogue and that diplomacy was the most rational path.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the escalating Middle East conflict, adding that the EU would work closely with Riyadh to de-escalate tensions and safeguard regional stability. She also said she would convene a special security college on Monday.

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday said Iran's military operations are "ahead of schedule" and claimed that 48 Iranian leaders were killed in the joint US-Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic, according to remarks to a news channel.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi have directed all hotels to extend the stays of guests who are unable to travel due to the current circumstances, Gulf News quoted the Department of Culture and Tourism as saying on Sunday. The department said it will bear the cost of the extended accommodation, aiming to support visitors affected by the ongoing disruption due to frequent airstrikes by Iran. Hotels across the emirate have been instructed to comply with the directive until normal travel conditions resume.