March 4, 2026 UPDATE (I)
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 04.03.2026, 19:55
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. In another move, 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.
Protest. The interim chargé d’affaires of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bucharest, Javad Karimi, was summoned on Tuesday to the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry ‘to be presented Romania’s deep concerns regarding the conduct of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the context of the current crisis in the broader Middle East region’. The Romanian side conveyed its firm protest against Tehran’s military attacks on states in the Middle East, as well as against the recent developments in Cyprus, emphasising their profound negative impact on regional security and stability, including maritime security. Romania firmly calls for the urgent de-escalation of tensions and for the protection of civilians, highlighting the importance it gives to the safety of its own citizens in the conflict zone’, the said press release reads.
Flights. Romania currently has numerous options planned, including assisted repatriation flights with charters and evacuation flights, but the condition for such flights to take place is that airspace must be open, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Ţărnea, on Wednesday, at a conference on the security situation in the Middle East. In this context, he mentioned that Romania, together with the other EU member states, continues to make preparations for alternative options for assisted repatriation or evacuation. On Wednesday, 29 flights to or from Egypt, Israel, Dubai, Qatar, Lebanon, and Cyprus were canceled as a result of the events in the Middle East. The Bucharest National Airports Company announced that this involved 14 takeoffs and 15 landings. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, over 3,000 Romanian citizens in countries in the Gulf region have specifically requested assistance with repatriation.
Defense. In Brussels on Wednesday, Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruţă met with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. According to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense, during the discussions, the Romanian official highlighted the importance of strengthening the defense dimension at EU level, emphasizing the need to ensure adequate allocations through the future Multiannual Financial Framework to support the financing of the European defense industry. According to the press release, Radu Miruta advocated for the simplification of defense procedures and instruments so that member states can access dedicated European funds more efficiently. The two officials also discussed the importance of the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) initiative for Romania, both from the perspective of strengthening the industrial and technological defense base and increasing resilience in the Black Sea region, the press release added. “The meeting reconfirmed the joint commitment to strengthening European security and defense in an international context marked by complex and dynamic challenges,” the Ministry of National Defense said.
Cooperation. Romania wishes to cooperate in the Romania-Poland-Turkey and Bucharest 9 (B9) formats, the foreign minister Oana Ţoiu said on Tuesday, during an official visit to Poland at the invitation of her counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski, occasioned by the Romanian-Polish Solidarity Day. “Our collaboration is essential if we want the priorities of our region to be at the center of European policies, as well as for transatlantic cooperation and security on the Eastern Flank,” the Romanian diplomacy chief posted on Facebook. Minister Oana Ţoiu added that she discussed with her counterpart the developments in the Middle East and ways to protect the citizens who wish to repatriate. She said Bucharest supports the Iranian people’s right to freedom and calls for the de-escalation of tensions, in coordination with its European partners, including Poland. The European Union, the Romanian official emphasised, remains a political project for peace, and the transatlantic partnership with the US, although affected by the lower priority given to Europe, remains critical to the security of the eastern flank. According to Oana Toiu, the parties agreed to initiate negotiations for a new bilateral Action Plan (2027-2031), which is to be signed during the next joint government meeting to be held in Warsaw this year.
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.
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 gas stations.
Award. European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kovesi, who is 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 has announced that the prize money will be donated to Ukraine.(MI)
