00:00Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has reiterated his firm opposition to the war in Iran,
00:04despite critical remarks and threats from U.S. President Donald Trump against his country.
00:10The European Commission unveiled its long-awaited industrial plan, the Industrial Accelerator Act.
00:21Explosions sounded in the Iranian capital on Wednesday as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran
00:26entered its fifth day, with the death toll now surpassing 1,000. In Tehran, Israel and the U.S.
00:33targeted the headquarters of the infamous Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as the
00:37Revolutionary Corps on Tuesday, inflicting substantial damage, according to newly released
00:43satellite footage. Israel also struck a building where clerics were expected to meet to discuss
00:48the selection of a new supreme leader following the assassination of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
00:54Israeli military spokesperson Effie Deferin said on Tuesday that the army was still assessing
00:59whether anyone was killed in that strike. Israeli attacks are also continuing to pummel
01:05Lebanon's east and south, as well as the capital Beirut, in what the IDF says are strikes targeting
01:11Hezbollah positions. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel in response,
01:17though the IDF says most of them have been intercepted. At least 11 people have been killed
01:22in Israel since the war broke out. Iran is also attacking neighboring states, including
01:28Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE, targeting primarily U.S. bases and embassies, but also energy facilities
01:35and civilian infrastructure. International opinion remains divided over the ongoing attacks on Iran.
01:42Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed Spain's stance on the war, condemning the attacks on Iran
01:47as a violation of international law. It's a dramatic U-turn from his stance on Saturday when the war
01:53erupted, where he expressed support for Washington's attacks. Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister
01:59Anthony Albanese maintained his support, claiming that the threat Iran poses to the international
02:05community must be eliminated. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed the Senate on the status
02:11of the ongoing military operations on Tuesday. The U.S. Congress, whose approval President Trump
02:17did not seek before green-lighting military action, will vote on the legality of the war
02:22on Wednesday. The war has rattled financial markets globally, as concerns mount over energy
02:28production and supply chains in one of the most important gas and oil-producing and exporting
02:33regions in the world. Analysts believe markets may be further spooked if Iran closes the Strait of
02:39Hormuz through roughly a fifth of the world's oil and gas passes.
02:46These are the weapons at the center of a rapidly escalating situation, Iranian drones and missiles
02:51that have targeted the UAE over the past several days. They are being displayed here at the UAE
02:57government media briefing as part of physical evidence of the attacks, which officials describe
03:03as a direct violation of the country's sovereignty and security. Authorities say that more than 90% of
03:09incoming drones and missiles have been successfully intercepted by the UAE's air defense systems,
03:15a figure presented as proof of both preparedness and advanced offensive capability.
03:21And what you see in front of you here, this is a tactical ballistic missile, which is basically a short
03:28-range
03:29ballistic missile from classed and the designation for it is Qiyam. And we have intercepted and destroyed
03:39hundreds of these ballistic missiles over the last four days. And if we move up to here, what you see
03:47here,
03:47the blue wreckage is basically a cruise missile. And those threats are normally very challenging for
03:57militaries across the world to basically detect and destroy. But luckily, we were able to detect each one of them
04:08and destroy them. And what you see here is one of the several cruise missiles that were able to intercept
04:14and destroy.
04:15And as I understand it, this is a suicide drone, isn't it?
04:17This is what is left from a suicide drone. And it's called Shahid 136. We've intercepted hundreds of these over
04:27the last few days.
04:30So we hear and see things at the last minute. But from a military perspective, I think globally it's known
04:35that
04:35you're seeing these things fairly early. So you know they're coming in and you're prepared accordingly.
04:40We announced this repeatedly to the public and we want to reassure the public again. And if they hear pops
04:47and sounds
04:48coming out of the sky, that's actually a comforting sound. It's a comforting noise. What it means that the air
04:57defense
04:57system is functioning properly to intercept, destroy all of these threats. Silence is actually not good.
05:06The UAE air defense system is very capable of defending the country. And we're very aware of the threats around
05:15it.
05:16We will continue to defend the country. And that's what we're going to do.
05:21Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has reiterated his firm opposition to the war in Iran,
05:26distancing his country from the U.S.-led military offensive during an emergency press conference this Wednesday.
05:31Despite critical remarks and threats of a trade embargo from U.S. President Donald Trump,
05:35the socialist leader continues to advocate for a diplomatic resolution.
05:39The position of the government of Spain is summarized in four words, not to the war.
05:44We repudiate the Iran regime, which reprime, which kills their citizens, particularly women,
05:51but at the same time we reject this conflict and ask a diplomatic solution and political solution.
05:56Diplomatic tensions erupted after the Spanish government vetoed the use of the ROTA and Moron military bases for the campaign.
06:04In response, Donald Trump has labeled Spain a terrible partner and hinted a total trade freeze between the two nations.
06:10Spain didn't do it. And now Spain actually said that we can't use their bases.
06:15We could use their bases if we want. We could just fly in and use it. Nobody's going to tell
06:20us not to use it.
06:22Sanchez, however, remained firm, asserting that one cannot respond to one illegality with another,
06:28and that the priority remains protecting the civilian population.
06:32Recalling the consequences of the 2003 Iraq War, he warned against repeating the mistakes of the past.
06:40In Brussels, the EU has close ranks around Madrid.
06:43Vice President of the Commission, Teresa Ribera, warned Washington that foreign trade is negotiated as a bloc
06:49and any sanctions against Spain would be met with a collective response.
07:00The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled its long-awaited industrial plan called Industrial Accelerator Act,
07:07rolling out a European preference that shuts China out of European public funding
07:12and tightens the screws on Beijing's future investment in the EU.
07:17The strategy targets three strategic sectors, clean technologies, car manufacturers
07:22and energy-intensive industries such as aluminium, steel and cement.
07:27If we don't do anything, today it is very probable that 100% of the technologies on clean tech
07:34are produced at 100% in China in the next years.
07:39It is very probable that our industry of steel, our industry of steel
07:43are at 100% in the next years.
07:47And so, if we consider that these technologies should be strategic
07:51and should allow the European Union to ensure both the technological issue
07:57and the European production,
07:59we need both commercial defense tools and production in Europe.
08:05The proposal introduces made-in-Europe thresholds, including a 70% EU content requirement for electric vehicles,
08:13with notable exceptions for most battery components, 25% for aluminium and 25% for cement.
08:20In the end, the Commission has proposed extending EU origin status to products,
08:25coming from trading partners with free trade agreements that apply reciprocity,
08:30notably in public procurement contracts.
08:33That excludes China and the US, which do not enjoy any such agreements with the bloc,
08:38but it might also exclude more like-minded partners such as Canada,
08:42where a bi-Canadian policy might apply soon to EU companies.
08:50Evacuations from Iran are continuing, with hundreds crossing into Azerbaijan each day.
08:56We are here at the Astara border checkpoint in the southeastern Azerbaijani city of Astara,
09:02which has become one of the key crossing points for people leaving Iran amid rising tensions.
09:09Authorities are checking documents and processing evacuees here.
09:13Those arriving include nationals from all around the world,
09:17seeking safer roads out of Iran during the ongoing crisis.
09:21According to the recent reports, the number of people evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan exceeded 700,
09:29while some countries formally requested and coordinated with Baku on border crossing permits for its citizens.
09:37The situation is fluid. It is moving very fast.
09:42It is difficult to predict exactly.
09:44But for the safety of family and for the safety of our citizens,
09:48our government has decided to move some people out of Tehran.
09:52I, because on account of being an officer, but also being mother, was evacuated.
09:58So I am moving to Azerbaijan.
10:00Because my family is living in Australia, actually.
10:02That's why I'm just living from here, go to Istanbul and go to Australia.
10:05I was in Tehran the first day. I was in Tehran, but just come to the Gila and the city
10:10close to here.
10:12But so far not as worse as we can imagine, but it's going to be worse and worse every day.
10:17I don't know what's happening.
10:18We were in Tigran, seven hours on the border, and we were waiting for a visa.
10:25And thank you very much for your participation and everything.
10:28So far, the European nationals have been granted the opportunity to cross the Iranian-Azerbaijan border
10:35with Serbian and Slovak diplomats among the most recent to transit.
10:40The evacuations were also discussed at the political level.
10:43On the 2nd of March, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jehun Bayramov held a telephone conversation
10:49with the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
10:55and Vice President of the European Commission, Kaya Kalas.
10:58The discussion focused on continuing efforts to evacuate EU citizens from Iran and on the security situation,
11:06which remains a concern amid escalating military tensions in the whole region.
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