QuarexNews

Iran's military command Khatam Al-Anbiya issued a defiant statement Thursday vowing to continue "crushing, broader and more destructive actions" against the United States and Israel after President Donald Trump threatened to bomb the Islamic Republic back to the "Stone Ages" in the coming weeks.

"With trust in Almighty God, this war will continue until your humiliation, disgrace, permanent and certain regret, and surrender," the military command declared via state television, marking a significant escalation in rhetoric from Tehran after Trump's national address.

The Iranian statement came just hours after Trump said the US military will strike Iran "extremely hard" over the next 2-3 weeks while maintaining negotiations could continue simultaneously. The president also threatened to target "each and every one of their electric generating plants, very hard, and probably simultaneously" if no deal is reached.

The exchange of threats occurs amid broader regional retaliation, with "The IDF has detected a new ballistic missile attack from Iran, targeting northern Israel." Iranian forces have expanded their response beyond Israel, targeting US bases and allies across the Middle East as the conflict enters its sixth week.

Mojtaba Khaledi said 77 healthcare facilities have been affected across Iran as the war with the United States and Israel enters its sixth week, according to Iranian Red Crescent Society officials speaking Wednesday.

The Health Ministry's Jafarian said 11 healthcare workers were killed and 55 wounded, including physicians, nurses and emergency workers. Tehran has been particularly hard hit, with 29 clinical facilities damaged, 10 now inactive, and patients evacuated from seven other facilities across the country.

Major Tehran hospitals including Gandhi Hospital suffered significant damage when Israeli military struck buildings housing Iranian state television's Channel 2 and a communications antenna nearby, forcing evacuation of patients including infants. The World Health Organization has verified more than 10 attacks on Iran's health infrastructure during the US-Israeli campaign, resulting in four healthcare worker deaths and 25 injuries.

Despite the damage, WHO regional director Hanan Balkhy said Iran's healthcare infrastructure remained robust and authorities had not requested emergency relief from the global health agency. However, medical facilities continue operating under extreme stress as the healthcare system manages over 15,000 wounded from the conflict.

Tehran residents witnessed black rain falling from the sky this week after missile strikes on oil facilities created toxic air pollution, prompting the World Health Organization to issue respiratory health warnings and advice for people to stay indoors.

In Iran, the black rain probably contains pollutants from the burning of this fuel during fires caused by missile strikes. These could include acetone, toluene and cancer-causing benzene and methylene chloride, according to environmental scientist Farzana Kastury at Adelaide University.

Soot, ash and toxic chemicals from strikes on fuel depots and a refinery combined with water droplets in the atmosphere and fell back to Earth as an oily, acidic rain that prompted warnings to stay indoors. Microscopic soot raises risks of lung and heart problems, while toxic chemicals pose long-term cancer risks and heavy metals from the fallout could contaminate soil and water supplies, experts warned.

The Iran war has unleashed a toxic mix of chemicals, heavy metals and other pollutants that threaten everything from agriculture to drinking water to people's health — and will leave behind environmental damage and health risks that could persist for decades, according to experts monitoring the conflict. The environmental toll adds another dimension to the humanitarian crisis facing Tehran's 9 million residents.

Schools at all levels of education in Iran will remain closed until the end of March in response to the Israeli and US attacks on the country. Teaching has moved online as authorities struggle to maintain educational continuity during the ongoing conflict.

The closure decision came after the deadliest single attack on civilians during the war when the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school of the Shahrak-e Al-Mahdi neighbourhood in Minab, Hormozgan province in southern Iran was destroyed by a missile strike. According to Iran state media, at least 175 were killed, over 100 of which were schoolchildren.

Due to congestion and distance, many parents were not able to reach the school before the airstrike landed on the compound. The school's principal, teachers, and other staff had remained inside to help escort the children out. The attack prompted UNESCO to condemn the bombing as "a grave violation of humanitarian law."

Beyond the tragic loss of life, the war has forced Iranian authorities to recruit children for wartime activities, with "Given that the age of those coming forward has dropped and they are asking to take part, we lowered the minimum age to 12," according to IRGC cultural official Rahim Nadali, raising serious concerns about child welfare during the conflict.

Iran's economy slipped into contraction during 2025 amid mounting wartime pressures, with inflation remaining above 40 percent according to official figures and closer to 50 percent by independent estimates as the government struggles with its most severe budget deficit since the Iran-Iraq War.

Even in the opening months of Iran's fiscal year, beginning on March 21, the country faced a budget deficit of around 40 percent. It remains unclear how large the deficit will become until March 2026 given the decline in oil revenues in recent months. This represents the worst fiscal crisis since Iran last experienced a 50 percent budget deficit in 1987, at the height of the war with Iraq.

Wartime economic pressures have severely impacted employment, with The labor force participation rate has fallen to 41 percent, 19 percent less than regional rates, as many unemployed people have lost hope of finding jobs or adequate income and have exited the labor market. The purchasing power of workers has plummeted as The monthly minimum wage, which at the start of this year stood at 135 million rials—about $180—has now fallen to roughly $100.

Food inflation has become particularly severe, with Food inflation exceeded 60 percent in November, with some staples—such as bread, rice, chicken, and eggs—rising by as much as 100 percent. Economists warn the situation may worsen dramatically, with some predicting a potential surge in inflation to as high as 3,000 percent.

Jamali's confirmation follows a bloody 48-hour period on March 30 and 31, 2026, during which the regime hanged four PMOI members. At least four members from the anti-regime organization, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, were executed in the last 48 hours, according to The National Council of Resistance of Iran.

On the morning of March 31, 2026, the Iranian regime executed 34-year-old law graduate and political prisoner Babak Alipour, alongside his fellow inmate Pouya Ghobadi. Their hangings came just 24 hours after the executions of two other members of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) from the exact same case.

The executions occur as Iran faces unprecedented challenges with Following the killing of Ali Khamenei, the former leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the Iran-2026 war, Mojtaba Khamenei was elected as the new leader of Iran. The regime appears to be using violence to maintain control during this critical transition period.

Adding to domestic pressures, Iran's sweeping internet blackout has entered its twentieth consecutive day, marking the longest disruption of online access ever recorded in the country and intensifying concerns over its far-reaching economic and social consequences. Despite the repression, resistance activities continue as Activists laid flowers, held placards, and installed posters in public spaces across major cities, including Tehran, Tabriz, Karaj, Isfahan, and Mashhad to commemorate the executed political prisoners.