Morning Briefing: March 7, 2026

ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including US President Donald Trump demanding “unconditional surrender” from Iran and calling for the selection of an “acceptable” new leader; UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning that escalating Middle East tensions could spiral “beyond anyone’s control”; and Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirming Moscow’s call for an immediate ceasefire and diplomatic solutions during a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

TOP STORIES

• Trump demands 'unconditional surrender' from Iran, selection of 'acceptable' leader

President Donald Trump said he will only accept "unconditional surrender" from Iran as the US and Israel continue to strike that country, prompting continued Iranian retaliation.

"There will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender!" the US president said on his Truth Social platform.

"After that, and the selection of a great & acceptable leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. Iran will have a great future," he added.

• UN chief warns of Mideast military escalation spiraling 'beyond anyone's control'

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of military escalation across the Middle East and Gulf regions spreading "beyond anyone's control."

"All the unlawful attacks in the Middle East and beyond are causing tremendous suffering and harm to civilians throughout the region – and pose a grave risk to the global economy, particularly to the most vulnerable people," Guterres said in a statement.

Noting that "the situation could spiral beyond anyone’s control," he told all parties that "it is time to stop the fighting and get to serious diplomatic negotiations."

"The stakes could not be higher," he added.

• Putin reaffirms Russia’s position on Mideast tensions during call with Iranian counterpart

Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his position on regional tensions in the Middle East during a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

A statement by the Kremlin said Putin reiterated his condolences about the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as his family members and top military officials.

“Russia's principled position on the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the abandonment of forceful solutions to problems around Iran and throughout the Middle East, and a swift return to the path of political and diplomatic resolution was reaffirmed,” the statement said.

It also said Putin is in constant contact with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Azerbaijan said it prevented “provocations and intelligence gathering” by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to media reports.
• Multiple international media reports, citing satellite imagery, verified videos and expert analysis have suggested that the deadly strike on a girls’ school in Iran’s southern city of Minab may have occurred during attacks targeting a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval facility.
• UK police said an international investigation has identified suspected Russian military intelligence involvement in a series of fires affecting air freight cargo across Europe since 2024.
• Germany’s Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) said it is planning to withdraw more soldiers from the Middle East as a result of the Iran war.
• The UN expressed deep concern about an Iranian drone attack targeting Azerbaijani territory.
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate calls with his counterparts from Oman, Qatar, Estonia, the Netherlands and Brazil, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
• Iranian missile attacks on the US and its allies have dropped 90% since Washington and Tel Aviv began attacks last weekend, the White House said.
• The building of Iran's national newspaper Sazandegi in Tehran has been damaged in US-Israeli strikes, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
• Qatar’s energy minister warned that Gulf energy exports could halt if the war in the region continues for weeks, cautioning that prolonged attacks could severely disrupt global markets.
• The EU condemned comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy threatening Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
• A strike on a house in Majdal Selm killed members of the same family, reports Lebanon’s official news agency.
• Nine people, mostly women and children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese National News Agency.
• Nearly 24,000 Americans have safely returned to the US from the Middle East since Feb. 28, the State Department said amid the US-Israel war on Iran.
• Saudi Arabia said its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile in the center of the country.
• Israeli authorities allowed about 60 worshippers to enter the Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron to perform prayers on the third Friday of Ramadan, a Palestinian official said.
• Russia provided Iran with intelligence on US military targets in the Middle East, the Washington Post claimed, citing three officials familiar with the matter, implying it is the first time that another major American adversary may be indirectly involved in the conflict.
• Germany voiced opposition to alleged US plans to arm Kurdish groups along the Iraq border to incite a popular uprising and overthrow the Iranian government.
• Four men were arrested in the UK on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service in a counterterrorism investigation linked to Iran, police said.
• Russia and Ukraine exchanged 300 prisoners from each side, the Russian Defense Ministry said on state-owned social media platform Max.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• US issues temporary waiver allowing Indian refiners to buy Russian oil

The US issued a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil in an effort to keep global supplies flowing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

In a statement posted on the US social media company X, Bessent said the measure was designed to ensure that oil continues to reach global markets.

“To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil,” he said.

• Oil prices surge weekly amid Middle East tensions, Hormuz supply fears

Oil prices rose sharply this week as escalating tensions in the Middle East fueled fears of supply disruptions.

International benchmark Brent crude traded at $86.18 per barrel at 2.10 pm local time (1110 GMT), up 18% from last Friday's close of $73.01.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 23.6% to $82.94, compared with $67.17 a week earlier.

• Anthropic CEO says firm has ‘no choice’ but to challenge US supply-chain risk designation in court

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei confirmed that the US has officially designated the artificial intelligence startup as a national security supply-chain risk, saying the company has “no choice” but to challenge the decision in court.

The designation followed a dispute between the firm and the US Defense Department about how its AI model, known as Claude, could be used in military contexts.

Anthropic said it was informed late last week, via social media posts, that it would be barred from government contracts after talks with the Pentagon collapsed.