Deadly explosions rocked Tehran close to a pro-government rally attended by top officials on Friday, as Israel and Iran unleashed fresh strikes in a war that has ignited the Middle East and threatens to torpedo the world economy.
Since erupting on February 28 with US-Israeli attacks on Iran, the war has cascaded throughout the region, drawn in global powers and sparked a major oil shock.
Journalists in Tehran reported loud blasts over the city skies, as Israel's military said it had hit more than 200 targets in western and central Iran in the past day.
Iran's state media said at least one woman was killed when blasts hit an area near a demonstration, where large crowds had gathered waving flags and brandishing banners.
President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also attended the rally, while images on Iranian media showed the head of the judiciary being interviewed just as a blast occurred.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei vowed Iran's military would teach the US and Israel "an unforgettable lesson".
Shortly afterwards, state television said Iran had launched a fresh salvo of missiles at Israel.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the country's military, warned on Friday that any new anti-government protests would be met with a stronger response than in January, when several thousand people were killed.
Iranians speaking under cover of anonymity have painted a grim picture of life under the bombs, with cities in ruins and cash running short.
"People are desperately trying to withdraw their savings from the banks, as trust in them has vanished", one 30-year-old woman in Kermanshah, western Iran, said. "Bread is now rationed. The population is extremely tense and outraged".
The United Nations refugee agency has estimated that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the war started.
Iran's health ministry said on March 8 that more than 1,200 people have been killed, a figure which has not been able to verify independently.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US and Israel had struck more than 15,000 targets since the war started, warning that Friday would mark the most intense bombing yet.
"We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition and plenty of time. Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today", wrote US President Donald Trump on social media.
Iran has launched waves of drone and missile strikes against neighbouring states hosting US military assets throughout the region.
Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said on Friday its forces had intercepted dozens of drones, including one targeting its capital's Diplomatic Quarter. — AFP
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