March 4, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 04.03.2026, 18:00
Iran. The United States has struck nearly 2,000 targets since the start of the war with Iran, according to a US military official, who stressed that the strikes in the first 24 hours were “twice” as significant as those carried out at the start of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, AFP reports. For its part, the Israeli army announced that it had attacked dozens of targets in Iran, including command centers in Tehran, according to a statement quoted by AFP. Air raid sirens sounded in Israel before the missile launches on Wednesday morning, but no injuries were reported, according to emergency services. One of the main targets of the operation launched on Saturday by US and Israeli forces is Iran’s missile launch pads and factories. The problem facing the allies is that many of the Iranian facilities are in well-protected bunkers, but some of them have been attacked with special 1,000-kilogram bombs, The New York Times writes. On the other hand, CNN reports that the CIA has begun working with the main Kurdish opposition groups in Iran, which are preparing ground operations against the regime in which thousands of fighters are expected to participate. Iran, in turn, continued to attack targets in the Middle East and struck the US consulate in Dubai, a base in Qatar—the largest the Americans have in the region—and a CIA location in Saudi Arabia. (…) On Wednesday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that a missile launched from Iran heading towards Turkish airspace had been destroyed by NATO defense systems stationed in the eastern Mediterranean. The North Atlantic Alliance condemned the attack.
Flights. A total of 29 flights to or from Egypt, Israel, Dubai, Qatar, Lebanon, and Cyprus have been canceled on Wednesday due to events in the Middle East, according to the Bucharest National Airports Company. This involves 14 takeoffs and 15 landings. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has recommended that Romanian citizens who have planned trips to Israel or neighboring countries directly affected by the conflict cancel or reschedule these trips for a later date.
Fuels. Romania has sufficient fuel reserves to cope with any major supply crisis, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan told Radio Romania. In his opinion, the country can withstand almost half a year without imports or domestic production. He added that, in the context of the conflict in the Middle East, Romania has taken all measures to avoid an imbalance in fuel supply, including alternative transport routes and combating speculative increases at the pump.
Visit. Romanian President Nicuşor Dan will visit Warsaw on Thursday at the invitation of his Polish counterpart, Karol Nawrocki. According to a press release, during the visit, the Romanian head of state will also meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and other Polish officials. Nicuşor Dan will also participate in an economic event organized by the Polish-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. ‘The advancement of the strategic partnership between Romania and the Republic of Poland, as well as better cooperation at the European and allied levels, are the defining coordinates of this visit. In this regard, the priorities on the bilateral agenda and major projects within the Strategic Partnership will be discussed, with an emphasis on the development of economic exchanges and investments,’ the Presidential Administration informs. European security will also be a main topic of discussion, in the context of the risks generated by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine and the conflicts in the Middle East. Thus, the press release further states, the talks will focus on the cooperation between Romania and Poland to maintain European and allied solidarity, with the main objective of strengthening the deterrence posture on NATO’s Eastern Flank.
Award. European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kovesi, a Romanian national, has been awarded the Leipzig Robert Blum Prize for Democracy. The award was given to the European Chief Prosecutor for her support of judicial independence, her fight against financial crime, and her decisive action in building European institutions based on the rule of law, according to an announcement by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Laura Codruţa Kovesi announced that the prize money will be donated to Ukraine.
Ambassadors. President Nicuşor Dan Tuesday received the US Ambassador Darryl Nirenberg, for the presentation of his credentials. The talks between the two officials focused on the joint commitment to expand and deepen the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership. Also on Tuesday, the Romanian head of state received the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova, Mihai Mîţu. Nicuşor Dan assured him that Romania will continue to provide consistent bilateral support on all relevant levels.
