Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, March 4

TEHRAN -- Iran said on Wednesday that 1,045 people have been killed in the country since Saturday as a result of U.S.-Israeli strikes.

In a statement published on its official website, Iran's Foundation of Martyrs and Veteran Affairs described the strikes as "aggressive and brutal." (Iran-U.S.-Israeli Strikes)

- - - -

CAIRO -- The foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Syria held separate phone consultations Wednesday to warn against expanding ongoing regional tensions in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced.

Expressing deep concern over the serious military escalation, the ministers agreed that expanding the conflicts in the region constitutes a direct threat to international security and peace, the ministry said in a statement. (Egypt-Iran-Diplomatic Outreach)

- - - -

TEHRAN -- A senior cleric and member of Iran's Assembly of Experts said on Wednesday that the country will select its next supreme leader soon, with candidates determined.

Seyed Ahmad Khatami made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV four days after Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in a U.S.-Israeli attack on the Iranian capital Tehran. (Iran-Supreme Leader-Election)

- - - -

PARIS -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday expressed support for Spain after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to "cut off all trade with Spain," local media reported.

According to French daily Le Parisien, Macron held phone talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday to convey France's "European solidarity" in response to the recent U.S. threats of economic coercion targeting Spain. (France-Spain-U.S.) Enditem