World leaders have urged calm after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran raised concerns about whether the violence could spread across the region and tensions rose with Iran vowing devastating blows after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On Sunday, a massive blast hit Iran’s capital as Israel said it targeted the “heart” of the city as Iran continued launching missiles at Gulf States. The killing of Ali Khamenei has deepened uncertainty. The United Nations and the European Union have pressed for talks, while countries are split over the strikes.
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Smoke rises up after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The White House says President Donald Trump will use his State of the Union address to argue he and the Republicans in control of Congress are best suited to continue tackling the public's concerns about the cost of living. Trump plans to announce that tech companies involved in artificial intelligence are agreeing to pay higher electricity rates in areas where their data centers are located. The president also could use the address to proclaim the economy is booming while endorsing increased military spending and tighter voter ID rules leading up to November elections that will determine political control of Congress. Several Democrats in Congress plan to skip Trump’s speech in protest, while Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
Shown is the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, ahead of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Activists say the death toll from a crackdown over Iran’s nationwide protests has reached at least 7,002 with many more people still feared dead. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency offered the latest figures Thursday. It has been accurate in counting deaths during previous rounds of unrest in Iran and relies on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths. Iran’s government offered its only death toll on Jan. 21, saying 3,117 people were killed. Iran’s theocracy in the past has undercounted or not reported fatalities from past unrest. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll, given authorities have disrupted internet access and international calls in Iran.
