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Iran Police Chief Says Ordered to Open Fire at Looters during Wartime

Members of the Iranian police (archival - AP)
Members of the Iranian police (archival - AP)
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Iran Police Chief Says Ordered to Open Fire at Looters during Wartime

Members of the Iranian police (archival - AP)
Members of the Iranian police (archival - AP)

Iran's police chief Ahmad Radan said on Friday that officers had been authorized to shoot at suspected looters amid the war with Israel and the United States.

"Because we are in wartime conditions, I have issued orders to shoot at potential thieves," Radan told state TV, adding that any thieves would be "swiftly neutralized".

He also said that authorities had taken measures to maintain order online.

"We will not allow a group of paid agents to undermine the unity that the people achieved with the blood of thousands of martyrs by spreading agitation," said Radan.

War has spread across the Middle East since Saturday after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran which killed the Iranian republic's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran responded by attacking US bases in Gulf countries and Israel with drone and missile strikes.

Iran's health ministry said nearly 1,000 people had been killed in the US and Israeli strikes which hit military sites as well as residential areas and other infrastructure.

AFP could not independently verify the toll.

Iranian attacks killed at least 10 people in Israel according to first responders there, while the US military has reported the deaths of six of its personnel since the war began.

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World

Putin Calls for Immediate Halt to Iran Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with women representing various professional fields to congratulate them on the upcoming International Women's Day at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 5, 2026. (Sputnik/Valeriy Sharifulin/Pool via Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with women representing various professional fields to congratulate them on the upcoming International Women's Day at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 5, 2026. (Sputnik/Valeriy Sharifulin/Pool via Reuters)
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Putin Calls for Immediate Halt to Iran Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with women representing various professional fields to congratulate them on the upcoming International Women's Day at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 5, 2026. (Sputnik/Valeriy Sharifulin/Pool via Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with women representing various professional fields to congratulate them on the upcoming International Women's Day at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 5, 2026. (Sputnik/Valeriy Sharifulin/Pool via Reuters)

Russian ‌President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to Iran's president over the numerous civilian casualties resulting from "the armed Israeli-American aggression against Iran" and called for an immediate halt to hostilities, the Kremlin said.

In a phone call late on Friday with Iranian President ‌Masoud Pezeshkian, Putin ‌expressed his deep condolences ‌over ⁠the killing of Iranian ⁠Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, members of Khamenei's family, Iranian political and military leaders and "numerous civilians".

"Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Russia's principled stance in favor of an ⁠immediate cessation of hostilities, ‌the rejection of ‌force as a method to solve ‌any issues surrounding Iran or arising ‌in the Middle East, and a swift return to the path of diplomatic resolution," the Kremlin said.

Putin ‌said he was in constant contact with the ⁠leaders ⁠of Gulf Cooperation Council member states.

"Masoud Pezeshkian expressed gratitude for Russia's solidarity with the Iranian people as they defend their sovereignty and the independence of their country. He also provided a detailed update on the developments during the latest active phase of the conflict," the Kremlin said.

World

Iran President Says Country Will Not Surrender to Israel, US

Smoke and fire rise from the site of airstrikes at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran on March 7, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke and fire rise from the site of airstrikes at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran on March 7, 2026. (AFP)
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Iran President Says Country Will Not Surrender to Israel, US

Smoke and fire rise from the site of airstrikes at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran on March 7, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke and fire rise from the site of airstrikes at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran on March 7, 2026. (AFP)

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that his country would never surrender to Israel and the United States, as Middle East war entered its second week.

Iran's enemies "must take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves," Pezeshkian said, in a speech broadcast on state TV.

Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran on February, 28 killing the country’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and triggering a regional conflict.

Iran has since responded with missile and drone strikes on Israel and US interests in regional countries, mainly in the Gulf.

Pezeshkian is among three members of an interim leadership council that has been in charge of Iran since Khamenei's killing.

During the speech, Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring countries for Iran's attacks across the region, saying that they would not be targeted unless attacks originated from them.

"I must apologize on my own behalf and on behalf of Iran to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran," he said.

"The interim leadership council agreed yesterday that no more attacks will be made on neighboring countries and no missiles will be fired unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries."

World

US ‘Not Concerned’ by Reports Russia Aiding Iran’s Targeting

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at CENTCOM headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, USA, 05 March 2026. (EPA)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at CENTCOM headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, USA, 05 March 2026. (EPA)
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US ‘Not Concerned’ by Reports Russia Aiding Iran’s Targeting

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at CENTCOM headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, USA, 05 March 2026. (EPA)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at CENTCOM headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, USA, 05 March 2026. (EPA)

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that the United States is "not concerned" about reports that Russia is providing intelligence to Iran on US troop positions and movements.

While declining to confirm the reports, Hegseth, in an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," said: "We're tracking everything."

"Our commanders are aware of everything," he said. "We have the best intelligence in the world. We're aware of who's talking to who."

"We're not concerned about that," the defense secretary said. "We mitigate it as we need to."

Earlier Friday, the White House also downplayed a report that Russia is providing Iran with targeting information about US forces in the Middle East.

"It clearly is not making a difference with respect to the military operations in Iran because we are completely decimating them," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

"We are achieving the military objectives of this operation and that is going to continue," Leavitt said.

The Washington Post, citing officials familiar with the intelligence, said Russia has provided Iran with the locations of US military assets, including ships and aircraft.

Six US service members were killed in a drone attack on a US base in Kuwait on Sunday.

The Post said China did not appear to be aiding Iran's defenses.

Russia and China have longstanding diplomatic and trade ties with Iran, while Russia has close military links to the country.

Both Moscow and Beijing have criticized the US-Israeli war against Iran.