Mojtaba Khamenei elected Iran's new supreme leader
What's the story
Iran's leadership has been severely impacted after airstrikes by the United States and Israel killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials. The Islamic Republic's leaders have now voted to replace Khamenei with his son, Mojtaba Khamenei. This decision comes despite US President Donald Trump's warning that any successor would not "last long" without American approval. Currently, however, Trump has refused to comment on Mojtaba Khamenei's election, only saying, "We'll see what happens."
Retaliatory strikes
Iran retaliates against Arab countries hosting US bases
Since the strikes that began on February 28, Iran has been retaliating against Arab countries hosting US bases in the Persian Gulf. On March 8, Iran targeted Kuwait International Airport and a desalination plant in Bahrain. The Israeli Army also reported targeting Iranian F-14 fighter jets at Isfahan Airport the day before.
Diplomatic tensions
Trump warns Russia against aiding Iran
Meanwhile, US special envoy Steve Witkoff revealed on March 7 that Moscow has been warned not to provide targeting intelligence to Iran amid ongoing airstrikes by US and Israeli forces. Earlier, Trump told ABC News that "if he [the next supreme leader] doesn't get approval from us, he's not going to last long." He had also referred to Mojtaba earlier as a "lightweight" and "unacceptable" choice.
Evacuation advisory
US orders diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, the US State Department has ordered nonessential diplomatic personnel and their families to leave due to safety risks from Iranian retaliatory strikes. This decision comes after an Iranian drone attack on March 3 damaged buildings at the US Embassy in Riyadh. The White House has said the war is likely to last four to six weeks, although no specific deadline has been set.
Missile attacks
Iran fires missiles toward Israel, Gulf states
Iran fired a series of missiles toward Israel and US Arab allies in the Gulf to mark Mojtaba's election as the new supreme leader. The Assembly of Experts had announced his succession after his father's death during US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28. As the new leader, Mojtaba will have final say in all political and military matters and hold near-dictatorial powers.
Economic concerns
War's impact on oil prices
Trump has downplayed the economic impact of the war on oil prices, calling it a "small price to pay" for removing Tehran's nuclear threat. The Brent crude price surged 17% to $108.73 a barrel on March 9, while US crude rose 19% to $108.33 a barrel. Shipping insurance rates have skyrocketed since the conflict began on February 28, but Trump remains committed to supporting the industry despite potential political fallout from rising inflationary pressures in the United States.