Iran

Iran's attack on Israel with more than 300 missiles and drones is a signification escalation of the conflict between the two. For the first time, Iran struck directly at Israel itself, not through proxies. Tehran had given notice that it would respond to the Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus on April 1.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that further escalation in the Middle East could have "catastrophic consequences," during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, the Kremlin said Tuesday.

Russia has called for restraint from all parties involved following Iran's recent drone and missile attack on Israel. While expressing deep concern over the situation, Russia has refrained from publicly criticizing its ally Iran for the strikes.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reached out to his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Sunday stressing Turkey's aim to avoid further escalation in the Middle East following Iran's retaliatory measures against Israel Saturday night.

According to Turkish sources, Fidan specifically conveyed that "Turkey seeks an end to actions that heighten tensions in the region." 

Iranians are expected to visit Türkiye the most during Nevruz celebrations, taking benefit of their two-week national holiday, sector representatives have said.

Iranian tourists are preparing to spend the Nevruz period between March 21 and April 1 in Türkiye. The initial rush of tourists will arrive from the Kapıköy border gate in the eastern province of Van on March 17.

An Iranian official has accused Israel of orchestrating an attack on gas pipelines in Iran last week, as reported by The Times of Israel citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency. Iran's Oil Minister, Javad Owji, asserted that the aim was to disrupt gas supplies to households but claimed that Iranian authorities swiftly countered the plot, resulting in only minor damage to several pipes.

Iran marked Sunday the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution amid tensions gripping the wider Middle East over Israel's continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of Iranians marched through major streets and squares decorated with flags, balloons and banners with revolutionary and religious slogans.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Feb. 2 that his country will not start a war, but it will "respond strongly" to anyone who bullies it amid remarks by U.S. officials on attack plans on Iranian sites in the Middle East.

The Greek cadet who worked onboard St Nikolas, the Greek-owned oil tanker seized by the Iranian navy last week, is being repatriated, the ship's managing company, Empire Navigation said Thursday.

The 19-year-old trainee captain will return to Greece accompanied by the Greek ambassador to Iran.

A correspondent on-site in Iran visited the Greek-owned oil tanker St Nikolas, confirming the crew's safety, after the vessel was seized on Thursday by the Iranian navy, as was announced by its managing company, Greek-based Empire Navigations on Monday.