Strikes on Iranian Oil Facilities Near Tehran Kill at Least Four

March 02, 2026 | 234 articles from RT, Dawn, El Universal, CNN and 30 more

What's Happening

Strikes hit oil facilities around Tehran on March 8, killing at least four people and causing a large blaze. Saudi Civil Defense reported that a fresh wave of strikes attributed to Iran hit Gulf states, resulting in two deaths and twelve injuries in Saudi Arabia. Alireza Arafi has assumed the role of interim supreme leader of Iran following the death of Ali Khamenei, as the conflict continues with U.S. President Donald Trump projecting the war to last four to five weeks.

How We Got Here

The underlying tensions within Iran, spanning ethnic divisions, social restrictions, and economic hardship, formed a complex backdrop to the events of early 2026. In March 2024, a Middle East scholar published an article arguing that Iran's multi-ethnic composition, involving roughly eighty distinct groups, could precipitate a governmental collapse and the formation of independent states, drawing parallels to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson published a rebuttal two days later, dismissing the scholar's analysis as nonsense and false dreams. This academic and diplomatic exchange highlighted persistent discussions about national cohesion. By March 2025, the Center of Human Rights in Iran described a framework of legal and social restrictions affecting women and girls, including mandatory dress codes, a male guardianship system limiting mobility and decision-making, and prohibitions on women holding certain professions and government positions. These descriptions outlined systemic controls on social autonomy. The United Kingdom government imposed sanctions on Iranian construction magnate Ali Ansari in October 2025. Demonstrations reflecting deep societal fractures became visible by December 2025. Protesters of Persian origin were heard chanting "Long live Reza Shah" as a proposed alternative to the government, while ethnic minorities chanted "Freedom," expressing apprehension about a potential return to Persian-national dominance from the Pahlavi era. A widespread cycle of protests began across Iran on Dec 28, 2025, driven by an inflation rate reported to have reached nearly seventy percent. The scale of these demonstrations signaled profound economic distress. In January 2026, media investigations, including a year-long Bloomberg investigation, reported that Mojtaba Khamenei directed a significant overseas real-estate network through intermediaries. The reported portfolio included hotels in Frankfurt and Mallorca, London properties, and a villa in Dubai, with funding allegedly routed from Iranian oil revenues through financial institutions in several countries via shell companies. On Feb 5, 2026, the Human Rights Activist News Agency stated it had verified nearly 6,500 protester deaths from the recent unrest, with reports of nearly 12,000 more unconfirmed, alongside 25,000 injured and nearly 54,000 arrests. A significant political-military development occurred on Feb 22, 2026, when five exiled Iranian Kurdish organizations announced the formation of the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan. The coalition's stated goals included overthrowing the Islamic Republic, achieving Kurdish self-determination, and establishing a democratic administrative system in Iranian Kurdistan. The alliance later expanded to include a sixth member. In response, Reza Pahlavi warned against separatism on Feb 25 and implicitly threatened Kurdish parties with military suppression. Kurdish parties responded critically, asserting that Pahlavi was wielding what they called the worn-out baton of separatism accusations to silence them, and stated they seek forms of autonomy similar to a Swiss federal model rather than secession. That same day, the Iran Freedom Congress in London decided not to extend participation to separatist groups, including the Kurdish coalition, focusing on non-separatist opposition. An analysis by the French think tank Institut Montaigne, published on Feb 23, argued a growing generational and social gap existed between young urban sectors and Iran's institutional structures. Military preparations and strategic assessments intensified in late February. A Middle East scholar claimed that at the time of writing, the United States was moving large naval, air, and land forces to the Middle East and preparing intelligence resources for potential war. Historian Niall Ferguson claimed President Trump's strategy for Iran was more modest, aiming only for a regime alteration through a brief military operation to install what he termed a responsible ayatollah, rather than full democratization. The pivotal military action occurred on Feb 28, when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes that destroyed his compound in Tehran. Israel stated its aim was to eliminate the existential threat it perceives from Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missile project and to bring about a change in government. Iranian state media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and several U.S. bases in the region less than two hours after the strikes. Iran imposed a nationwide internet blackout. The immediate aftermath of the strike involved a flurry of claims, warnings, and reactions from various actors. The Central Intelligence Agency warned the White House that Khamenei's death could lead to authority being transferred to the most aggressive leaders of the IRGC, who advocate for open war with the West. President Trump indicated he hoped Iran's IRGC and police would peacefully merge with what he called Iranian patriots to bring about change. A senior Israeli official claimed Khamenei's overconfidence was partly due to an Israeli-American deception plan that included public statements by Trump suggesting nothing immediate was coming. Shahab Esfandiary asserted the killing had created a widespread and deeply personal nationwide movement in Iran, unifying millions against the U.S. and Israel and wiping anti-government sentiments off the streets. Retired NFL player Shar Pourdanesh posted on Instagram thanking President Trump and Israel, calling the day great for all Iranians and stating the infamous dictator was dead. Formal political and diplomatic processes began in early March. On March 1, the Guardian Council's spokesperson, Hadi Tahan Nazif, stated the Assembly of Experts is constitutionally responsible for selecting Iran's next supreme leader. President Trump said he projected the war to last between four and five weeks. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement classifying the attack as a grave violation of Iran's sovereignty and security that tramples on the UN Charter. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, stating the deaths were a consequence of the armed aggression of Israel and the United States and reaffirming the need for a cessation of hostilities. Iran announced a three-day public farewell ceremony for Khamenei starting March 4. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released that week showed one in four Americans approved of the U.S. strikes. Iranians gathered in Tehran and other cities with chants against the U.S., Israel, and traitors. Reza Pahlavi asserted any attempt by the current system to appoint a successor would fail and lack legitimacy. Military and strategic operations continued to escalate. On March 3, the building serving as the headquarters of Iran's Assembly of Experts was completely destroyed in an airstrike in Qom. U.S. Central Command reported U.S. forces struck more than 1,700 targets across Iran in the first 72 hours of Operation Epic Fury. Israel's Mossad intelligence service posted a message in Persian stating that regardless of who is chosen to succeed Khamenei, his fate has already been decided, adding that only the Iranian people would determine their future leadership. The Iranian government announced a ban on all food and agricultural exports, citing war needs. The Mojahedin-e-Khalq claimed its Resistance Units conducted thirty anti-government operations in fifteen cities. President Trump stated U.S. strikes had eliminated much of the government's anticipated leadership succession. Analyst Sanam Vakil stated the future leadership that emerges could be even more hostile toward Washington. Further military actions and intelligence claims marked the conflict's expansion. On March 4, Iranian forces fired on Turkey, a NATO member. Multiple unnamed sources familiar with the plan told CNN the CIA is working to arm Iranian Kurdish forces with the aim of fomenting a popular uprising in Iran. The White House denied a report that President Trump was considering arming Kurdish groups. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated any new leader designated by the Iranian government would be considered a legitimate target for elimination. Senior sources stated Iran's Revolutionary Guards had tightened their grip on wartime decision-making despite the loss of top commanders. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on the Iranian diaspora to intensify lobbying efforts with governments abroad. Analyst Kasra Aarabi said there may be signs, five days into the strikes, of the IRGC command structure degrading, pointing to increasingly wild attacks on civilian targets in Gulf monarchies. Iran International reported that the Assembly of Experts selected Mojtaba Khamenei as the next Supreme Leader under pressure from the IRGC. Kurdish groups and regional dynamics became increasingly central. On March 5, Iran stated it had targeted Iraq-based Kurdish groups it described as opposed to the government. A representative of an exiled Iranian Kurdish group said the strikes killed one of its members. Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, stated the area must not become part of any conflict. President Trump stated he must be involved in the appointment of Iran's next leader and called Mojtaba Khamenei an unacceptable choice. A senior Kurdish official claimed an uprising could happen as soon as next week with the right support from the United States and Israel, calling for political cover and a no-fly zone. Kurdish leader Mustafa Mauludi stated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on IRGC bases would help Kurdish opposition forces advance into Iran. The Kurdistan Regional Government denied involvement in any plan to send Iranian Kurdish opposition parties into Iranian territory. Leadership transitions.

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