Drone strike rocks major US diplomatic facility in Baghdad as Iraqi militias enter the fray in widening war with Iran: Live updates

A group that calls itself the ‘Patriotic Doctors of Iran’ has sent the Trump administration a letter endorsing exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi as the country’s next leader.

‘We, Iranian physicians, researchers and healthcare professionals in the diaspora, members of the Patriotic Doctors of Iran, write as healers bound by the Hippocratic Oath to oppose suffering and injustice,’ the letter reads.

‘The Islamic Republic has turned medicine into a tool of repression: denying care to protesters, imprisoning doctors for treating the wounded and causing countless preventable deaths. We have watched our homeland endure brutality while its people courageously demand freedom,’ the group continued.

‘Today, Iranians inside and outside Iran increasingly look to Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as a unifying figure for a peaceful transition. He advocates secular democracy, free elections through a national referendum, the protection of civilians and the preservation of Iran’s territorial integrity without seeking personal power.

‘As professionals dedicated to life and human dignity, we strongly support Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s vision,’ the group concluded.

‘A free and democratic Iran would restore progress in science, medicine and society, benefitting the region and the world,’ it noted.

Joe Rogan called the war on Iran ‘insane’ and said it has led Donald Trump‘s supporters to ‘feel betrayed’ by the president.

The podcaster endorsed Trump ahead of the 2024 election but has been critical of some of the major policies of his second term in office.

While talking to journalist Michael Shellenberger on his podcast, Rogan slammed Operation Epic Fury as not matching Trump’s campaign rhetoric.

‘It just seems so insane based on what he ran on,’ Rogan said.

A container ship was struck early Wednesday morning off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Strait of Hormuz, the British military said.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center announced the attack, which it said happened off Ras al-Khaimah, the UAEs northernmost emirate on the strait.

It said the ‘extent of the damage is currently unknown but under investigation by the crew.’

Senator Chris Murphy accused President Donald Trump of seeking the war in Iran to benefit the ‘billionaire’ class following a classified briefing with administration officials.

He told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Tuesday night that the fact that Trump struck Iran without Congressional approval ‘just shows the utter disdain the president has for democracy, for the Constitution and for the people of this country.

‘I mean the Founding Fathers were really specific about this – they really worried about an out-of-control megalomaniacal executive sending America into wars overseas without consultation with the people,’ the Connecticut Democrat said.

‘People don’t want this war, especially as gas prices and soon grocery prices go through the roof, especially as more Americans die,’ he claimed.

Murphy also accused Trump of ‘not caring’ about what the American people think.

‘If it’s good for the billionaire class, it’s good for him,’ he said.

‘This is, again, about Trump having disdain for democracy and caring very little about what regular people out there think.’

The interview came shortly after Murphy claimed on X that he learned at a classified meeting that ‘the war goals DO NOT involve destroying Iran’s nuclear weapons program’ and that the Trump administration ‘confirmed “regime change” is also NOT on the list.’

‘OK so what ARE the goals? It seems, primarily, destroying lots of missiles and boats and drone factories,’ he posted.

‘But the question that stumped them: what happens when you stop bombing and they restart production?,’ Murphy continued. ‘They hinted at more bombing. Which is, of course, endless war.’

Four Iranian diplomats were killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut on Sunday, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Irans ambassador to the United Nations Saeed Iravani wrote a letter to Secretary-General Antnio Guterres condemning the attack and calling it a serious violation of international law.

The four diplomats were killed in an attack on the Ramada Hotel in Beirut, Iravani wrote in the letter, according to IRNA.

Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has said it launched its ‘most intense and heaviest operation’ since the start of the war, according to state media.

Iran claimed its overnight attack involved missile launches, including its long-range ballistic Khorramshahr missile, against targets in Israel and at US assets in the region, Irans state broadcaster IRIB reported.

We will continue our sustained attacks with purpose and strength, and in the continuation of this war we think only of the enemys complete surrender,’ the IRGC said.

The war will end only when the shadow of war is removed from our country,’ it added.

The comments come hours after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be the ‘most intense day of strikes inside Iran.’

‘We’re crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force. We will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated,’ he said at a press briefing.

‘We do so on our timeline and at our choosing. For example, today will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran, the most fighters, most bombers, most strikes, intelligence more refined and better than ever.’

Russia has proposed a resolution to end hostilities in the Middle East with a United Nations vote.

The short draft resolution ‘condemns in the strongest terms all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and calls for their protection.’

It strongly encourages a quick return to negotiations and diplomacy but does not specifically name Iran, the United States or Israel.

The draft was put in a final form Tuesday evening.

It could be put to a vote as early as Wednesday afternoon, following a vote on a resolution by Gulf nations demanding that Iran stop attacking its Arab neighbors.

That resolution, proposed by Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, states that the attacks violate international law and are a serious threat to international peace and security.

It also demands that Iran immediately cease all attacks and threats against regional states, including through its proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The measure further condemns attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, while emphasizing the right for countries to defend themselves under the UN Charter, and calls for maintaining freedom of navigation in international shipping – particularly through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab.

The remainder of the Iranian women’s soccer team have been pictured at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Wednesday as they made their return, after five members accepted asylum in Australia.

They earlier departed Sydney for the Middle East – but it’s understood more team members have been granted asylum.

Trouble for the women began last Monday, March 2, when they refused to sing Iran‘s national anthem before a match against South Korea on the Gold Coastduring the Asia Cup – just days after the conflict between the US and Iran broke out.

Australia offered the teammateshumanitarian visas after word of their protest reached Iran, triggering major backlash.

The cost of oil and other fuels has been soaring since the start of the Iran War just over a week ago.

And there has been understandable concern over how hard this might hit consumers, and whether this might affect public opinion on the conflict.

Vincent Clerc, the boss of Danish shipping giant Maersk, has now admitted to the BBC this increased cost will indeed be passed down to the consumer.

He said: ‘We have traditional contracting mechanisms that pass on this fuel fluctuation, whether they go up or they go down, onto the customers.

‘So what it means is that ultimately, in this case, these increases will pass to our customers and will pass on to the consumers.’

Stunning photos show US aircraft being mobilised as it continues to ramp up strikes on Iran.

They come after the American military confirmed it has now destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels close to a major sea passage used to export oil.