Iran: Mojtaba Khamenei new Supreme Guide'. Trump: 'It won't last'- Oil touches $120, Nikkei plummets

Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the US and Israeli attacks on 28 February, was chosen as Iran's new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts. The appointment was announced by Iranian state TV, citing a statement issued minutes earlier by the Assembly of Experts. The new leader, 56, is a middle-ranking but influential and uncompromising figure.

Another US soldier died in the war with Iran, bringing the death toll to seven. The soldier died as a result of wounds sustained in the attack on 1 March against US troops in Saudi Arabia. This was announced by the US military.

"I agree with what Minister Crosetto said and I think we have to deal with a framework in which the rules of international law have objectively broken down. I don't think they have broken with this episode (the Iranian crisis after the attack by the US and Israel, ed.) because there are many precedents, but the picture is certainly one of great chaos". So said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the recording for the programme 'Outside the Chorus' broadcast tonight on Rete 4. Meloni went on to clarify that the rules were broken before and added: 'In my opinion the crisis has become structural, especially with the invasion of Ukraine because who is it that should enforce international law? In theory it's the United Nations, but we have the anomaly of a UN Security Council member invading its neighbour four years ago to try to annex it'.

Further reading

Meloni's warning: 'Ready to tax those who speculate on war'

08 March 2026

Khamenei's name as leader of Iran 'will continue to exist', says a member of the Assembly of Experts, reported by Sky News Uk.

Further reading

Iran after Khamenei: who is in charge now and the names of possible successors

01 March 2026

Iran is 'a paper tiger, it was not a week ago. They were going to attack.Their plan was to attack the entire Middle East and conquer the entire Middle East." This was said Donald Trump in an interview with Abc without ruling out sending in special forces to seize Iran's enriched uranium. "All options are on the table. All of them, the president reiterated.

For more: Trump's 'fog of war' between propaganda and a war without a reason

An attack on a residential building in Saudi Arabia killed at least two people and injured a dozen, the civil defence agency said, as reported by Al Jazeera.The attack hit a compound in the central governorate of al-Kharj, the agency said on X.

The Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, Blaise Cupich, considers the video posted by the White House on the attacks on Iran "disgusting". It is a "terrifying depiction", he said in a statement posted on the archdiocese's website. "Our government is using the suffering of the Iranian people as a backdrop for our entertainment, as if it were just another piece of content to browse through while standing in line at the supermarket." Instead, it is 'a real war, with real death and real suffering, treated as if it were a video game'.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had talks with US President Donald Trump this afternoon. This was announced in a statement by the London government.The leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East andmilitary cooperation between the UK and the US through the use of Raf bases in support of the collective self-defence of partners in the region. The prime minister also expressed his sincere condolences to President Trump and the American people over the deaths of six US soldiers. The two leaders, the communiqué concluded, expressed their wish to have further talks soon.

The return of Italians from the Middle East continues. The emergency, according to Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, is almost over. Between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, 'another five thousand Italians returned'. The total now makes about 25,000 compatriots who have returned from the area affected by the escalation of the crisis.

The State Department bypasses Congress to sell 20,000 bombs to Israel. The ministry has let it be known that Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes there is an emergency as a result of the war in Iran and therefore the immediate sale of bombs to Israel for about $660 million is necessary. This was reported by the New York Times citing sources, according to whomit is the first time in the second Trump administration that an emergency, provided for in the Arm Export Control Act, has been formally declared to bypass Congress and sell arms to Israel.

US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran's next Supreme Leader "will not last long" unless he gets Washington's approval, adding that he is willing to work with any remaining elements of the current regime. "He will have to get our approval," he told Abc News about Ali Khamenei's heir, "If he does not get it, he will not last long. "We want to make sure that we don't have to come back here every ten years, when you may not have a president like me who is willing to do that," the White House chief continued, "I don't want to have to come back in five years and do the same thing again, or worse yet let them have a nuclear weapon.

In war, actions speak louder than words. Few times, perhaps never, has one seen a president of the Republic publicly apologise to neighbouring countries for bombing them, promising not to do it again, only to see the same countries hit again not even an hour later. At first glance, this appears schizophrenic behaviour.

The words of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and especially what happened immediately afterwards (probably without his will), give a glimpse of the dynamics that are shaking the apparatus of power in Iran in this convulsive historical period.

In an interview with Nbc, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran's political institutions continue to function normally. "A new supreme leader will soon be appointed by the Assembly of Experts," he said, adding that the president, government and parliament are all continuing to perform their duties. Araghchi also rejected US President Donald Trump's statements that Iran would not allow outside interference in its internal affairs. "It is up to the Iranian people to elect their new leader," he said. "This is the business only of the Iranian people and no one else."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Tehran will react harshly to any deployment of US troops on its territory. "We have very brave soldiers waiting for any enemy to enter our territory, to fight, kill and destroy them," he said. Araghchi also rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that one of the reasons for the military operation was the risk that Iran would soon develop missiles capable of reaching US territory. In an interview with NBC News, the minister called such statements 'disinformation', explaining that Iran possesses the capability to produce missiles but has chosen to limit their range to less than 2,000 kilometres 'so as not to be perceived as a threat by anyone else in the world'.

During the week, more than 600 targets were attacked and about 200 Hezbollah terrorists were eliminated. This was announced by the Israeli army. "The Northern Command struck over 600 targets throughout Lebanon, from air, sea and land, using over 820 munitions," the IDF spokesman reported. According to the army, more than 190 terrorists were eliminated in the attacks, including terrorist Abu Hamza Rami, commander of Islamic Jihad in Lebanon, whose rank is equivalent to division general in the IDF; two commanders whose rank is equivalent to brigadier general; and three battalion commanders of the terrorist organisation. In addition, 27 waves of attacks were completed in the Beirut area, five of them in the Dahieh district.

The United Arab Emirates deny Israeli reports that they have targeted a desalination plant in Iran. The Foreign Ministry says, according to Anadolu reports, thatin "self-defence" against "Iranian aggression", the UAE does not seek escalation, but reserves the "full right" to guarantee its own security.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani updated on the situation of requests to return to Italy by compatriots in areas at risk. "The number of requests has decreased drastically. The tourists have largely left," he said at a press point at the Farnesina. "The emergency is not over, but it is certainly in the process of being concluded. "The situation in the Maldives remains open, where there are so many people still waiting, but flights are increasing and we are doing everything we can to bring them home," the deputy prime minister continued, "We will continue to help residents who are in danger areas to facilitate their departure. But I don't think there is any need to organise additional charters, just accompany them on the scheduled flights that are leaving those countries'.

Read more: Iran, Tajani: 'More than 20,000 Italians repatriated'

Saudi Arabia is pushing the operation of its Red Sea terminals to the limit to cope with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. In early March, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, eight supertankers, each with a capacity of 2 million barrels, docked and loaded at the ports of Yanbu and Al Muajjiz. If a level of about 2.3 million barrels per day is maintained, this would be a 50 per cent increase over the usual operation. This is, according to Bloomberg, a technical challenge for ports that have never operated at these levels. Moreover, most of the buyers of Saudi oil are located in Asia, which would force the ships to take the southern route, exposing themselves to attacks by Iranian-fuelled Yemeni militias.

The death toll in Israel in the rocket attacks launched by Iran has risen to 6. This was reported by the emergency services, Magen David Adom, according to the Times of Israel. They are a man in his 40s who was seriously injured in Tel Aviv and five others who were injured in Petah Tikva, including a 25-year-old man.

The military secretary to the Supreme Leader of Iran has been eliminated. This was reported by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who said he was informed during a situation assessment held with the IDF. The Defence Minister praised the IDF for the feat: "Keep hunting them," he told the military. "Abu-al-Qasem Baba'iyan, the new head of the Supreme Leader's military office, who was appointed only a few days ago after his predecessor was eliminated in the attack in which Khamenei was killed, was also eliminated," Katz's office reported.

Pentagon officials told Congress that the first week of the war has cost about $6 billion. The New York Times reported this today, pointing out that the US forces engaged in the region exceeded 50,000, including two aircraft carriers and a dozen warships, with dozens of bombers and attack aircraft on the way.

"Approximately $4 billion of the cost of the first week of the war for the US was spent on munitions, mainly interceptors to shoot down Iranian missiles," the newspaper pointed out.

"We have a specific plan with multiple options to weaken the Iranian regime and bring about change". This was stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the official X IsraelPersian account.

In the Israeli attack that cost the life of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, people identified by the White House as possible interlocutors for future negotiations and who could have helped to bring the conflict to a rapid end were also killed. The New York Times reported this today, citing American officials, that these people were attending a meeting in a different part of the Tehran compound where Khamenei was killed.

The Iranian-launched missile warning went off again in Tel Aviv and central Israel shortly after the previous one.

"We are winning at unprecedented levels and fast," said US President Donald Trump, claiming in an interview with CBS the achievements since the start of the Israeli-American attacks on Iran.

"It was incredible the work we did. The missiles exploded into a thousand pieces. There are very few left. Drones are blowing up. Factories are blowing up as we speak. The Navy is gone, it's at the bottom of the sea. Forty-two ships, 42, in six days, 42 ships. The Navy's gone. The Air Force is gone. Every single element of their military is gone. Their leadership is gone. There is nothing that is not gone,' he said.

At least 394 people have been killed in Lebanon since the resumption of Israeli attacks on 2 March. This was reported today by the Ministry of Health in Beirut, pointing out that another 1,130 people were injured.

"The United Arab Emirates attacked for the first time in Iran". Israeli media report this, pointing out that the attack targeted an Iranian desalination plant. 'Israel believes that the raid is, for the time being, only a signal to the Iranian regime, however, should Tehran's attacks escalate, there is a real possibility,' Israeli media report, 'that the Emirates will join the conflict in a limited way. Abu Dhabi meanwhile announced that 'air defences detected 17 ballistic missiles, 16 of which were destroyed, while one fell into the sea. 117 drones were also detected, of which 113 were intercepted and 4 fell into national territory'.

"From Iran and from all over the Middle East, news continues to add up to deep consternation: to the episodes of violence and devastation and to the widespread climate of hatred and fear, we add the fear that the conflict will spread and other countries in the region, including dear Lebanon, may plunge into instability once again". The Pope at the Angelus renewed his appeal: "let the din of the bombs cease, let the weapons be silent and let a space of dialogue be opened in which the voice of the peoples can be heard". He then prayed "for those who suffer because of the war" and that "hearts" may proceed "along paths of reconciliation and hope".

French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Cyprus tomorrow, Monday 9 March, where he will meet President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. BfmTv reports. "This trip aims to show France's solidarity with Cyprus, a member state of the European Union with which we have a strategic partnership, and which was hit by several drones and missile attacks last week," the Elysée said to the broadcaster. This visit, he added, "will also be an opportunity to coordinate our efforts to ensure the security of European citizens in the area and to support repatriation operations".

The Iranian Red Crescent has warned the citizens of Tehran of the risk of releasing toxic compounds into the atmosphere after the explosion of oil deposits during the US-Israeli attacks in Tehran, 'dangerous acid rain could occur', some of which has already started to wet the capital. The civil defence has urged the population to stay indoors. A huge cloud of smoke spread across the sky in Tehran this morning, darkening the sky, followed by some rain, dark in colour, over the capital

A huge fire enveloped a tower in Kuwait City following drone attacks in the early hours of today. The blaze broke out in a government building run by the Public Institute for Social Security, writes the Guardian. The department said that 'the organisation's main building was targeted, resulting in property damage'. The fire now appears to be under control

The Lebanese national news agency NNA reported that Israel killed at least 19 people, including some children, in an attack on a three-storey building in Sir el Gharbiyeh in southern Lebanon. Civil defence and rescue teams, it added, are working to remove the rubble and recover the bodies of victims and injured.

Iran has indicated that it can fight for at least another six months against the US and Israel. "The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are capable of continuing at least six months of intense warfare at the current pace of operations," Ali Mohammad Naini, spokesman for the Guardians of the Revolution, the Islamic Republic's ideological army, assured state television. "In the coming days, new types of attacks will be conducted with long-range, advanced and lesser-used missiles. The enemy must expect more painful and precise targeted attacks,' the spokesman said, according to Afp reports.

The Israeli armed forces have warned that they will target the successor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and anyone involved in the process of appointing the new leader. This was stated by the Israeli military, cited by CNN, while Iranian state media reported that Tehran would be close to choosing the next supreme leader. "After the elimination of the tyrant Khamenei, the Iranian terrorist regime is trying to reorganise itself and choose a new Supreme Leader," the IDF wrote, "I want to stress that the long arm of the State of Israel will continue to pursue the successor and anyone who attempts to appoint him. The Israeli army also issued a direct warning to those attending the meeting tasked with selecting the new leader: 'We will not hesitate to strike you as well. Consider yourselves warned'.

The Iranian Ministry of Health said that US and Israeli attacks in Iran have killed 200 children and about 200 women, making a total of more than 1,200 deaths since the beginning of the war. Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour added in a social media post that more than 1,000 people, including about 400 women, have been injured since 28 February.

Three Indonesian crew members of a UAE-flagged tugboat are missing after the vessel, the Musaffah 2, sank in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. This was announced by the Jakarta Foreign Ministry. According to the note, another Indonesian crew member survived and is currently hospitalised with burns in the city of Khasab, Oman. Before sinking, the Musaffah 2 was reportedly rocked by an explosion that caused a fire on board. Local authorities have started an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Tehran is shrouded in smoke after Israeli attacks on oil facilities, Associated Press pictures show. The Fars news agency reported that the attacks hit four oil storage facilities and an oil production transfer centre in Tehran and Alborz. Four tanker drivers were reportedly killed. The attacks caused columns of fire, which appear in the AP video as a glow in the night sky. This is the first time a civilian industrial facility has been targeted in the war.

'We're winning at unprecedented levels, and rapidly'. US President Donald Trump assured Cbs, commenting on the progress of the military operation in Iran. "It's been incredible the work we've done. The missiles have been smashed to smithereens,' the president said, 'There are very few left. Drones have been destroyed. Factories are being blown up as we speak. The navy no longer exists, it is at the bottom of the sea, 42 ships in six days. The navy is gone. The air force is gone." "Every single element of their armed forces is gone. Their leadership is gone. There is nothing that has not been eliminated,' he concluded.

The US and Israel discussed sending special forces to Iran to seize and secure its stockpile of enriched uranium. The Axios website reports this, citing four sources familiar with the discussions.

An Israeli defence official said that US President Donald Trump and his team are seriously considering sending special operations units to Iran for specific missions. For his part, an American official reported two options under consideration by the administration regarding uranium: remove the material from Iran completely or bring in nuclear experts to dilute it on site. "The first question is: where is it? The second question is: how can we access it and how can we get physical control of it? - said the American source - and then, it would be the decision of the president and the war department, the CIA, whether to physically transport it or dilute it on site."

Explosions were heard in the central Iranian province of Yazd. This was reported by the Irna state agency, adding that it is unclear at the moment what was affected by the attacks. Explosions had previously been reported in other parts of the country, including the Iranian capital Tehran and the central province of Isfahan.

A majority consensus on the succession of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'has more or less been reached', Ayatollah Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, a member of the Assembly of Experts, announced, Mehr reports. Ayatollah Mohsen Heidari Alekasir, another member of the Assembly, said that a candidate was chosen based on the advice of the late supreme leader, the Iranian leader should "be hated by the enemy". "Even the Great Satan (the US) mentioned his name," said Heidari Alekasir. Days ago, Trump called Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, an 'unacceptable' choice.

The Council of Experts has reached an agreement on the choice of Iran's new Supreme Leader after the assassination of Ali Khamenei. This was reported by Ayatollah Seyyed Mehdi Mirbagheri Shahroudi, representative of Semnan province, as quoted by the Mehr news agency. Mirbagheri Shahroudi said that an almost final opinion has been reached and a significant majority has been formed, 'but at the same time obstacles to this work must be removed'.

According to local media reports, early this morning an Israeli drone struck a hotel room in the Raouche district of Beirut, one of the main coastal tourist areas of the Lebanese capital, where there is no significant Hezbollah presence. The attack hit the Ramada Hotel, which is popular with tourists and business travellers, and was felt by nearby residents. The Lebanese Ministry of Health said that the attack killed four people and injured ten others. Israel did not reveal what the target of the attack was.

The US and Israel struck five oil facilities during night attacks in and around Tehran, the CEO of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, Keramat Veyskarami, told state television. "Four oil depots and an oil products transportation centre in Tehran and the Alborz were attacked by enemy planes," he said, the five facilities "were damaged" but "the fire has been tamed".

If the US-Israeli war against Iran continues, there will be no way to sell oil, nor the ability to produce it in the region,' is the warning of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. "Trump said the price of oil would not increase much, but now that it has increased, he says it will be corrected soon!" he wrote on X. "Not only the interests of the US, but also the interests of countries in the region and the world are being destroyed by Netanyahu's illusions."

In Bahrain, three people were injured by shrapnel from a rocket attack. The shrapnel fell on a university building in the city of Muharraq, local authorities reported. The Interior Ministry said that the missile fragments also caused material damage.

US President Donald Trump said he was not interested in negotiating with Iran and raised the possibility that the war would end only when Tehran no longer had a functioning army or leadership in power. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the air campaign could render any negotiations useless if all of Iran's potential leaders were killed and the Iranian army destroyed. "At some point, I think there may not be anyone left to say, 'We surrender,'" Trump said. The US president said that "based on what I've seen" the bombing of the school that cost the lives of dozens of Iranian girls was "done by Iran". According to two US officials quoted by the Reuters news agency, American investigators instead believe that the school was hit by an American attack.

After some of his statements had been interpreted as an announcement of a suspension of attacks against Gulf countries, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his words had been "misinterpreted by the enemy who seeks to sow divisions with neighbouring countries". Tehran state television reported this on Sunday morning. "It has been repeatedly said that we are brothers and must have good relations with our neighbours. However, we are forced to react to the attacks, but this does not mean that we have a dispute with a neighbouring country or that we want to upset its people," Pezeshkian said. The attacks against the Gulf countries had continued even after Pezeshkian's statements, giving the impression that there were divisions between the political and military leadership in Iran.

Iran said it is capable of fighting for at least another six months against the US and Israel, in a war that has entered its ninth day. "The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are capable of continuing at least six months of intense warfare at the current pace of operations," Ali Mohammad Naini, spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps quoted by the Fars news agency, as saying.

An explosion at around 1 a.m. local time caused limited damage to the US Embassy in Oslo, Norway. The blast occurred near the entrance to the consular section and caused no injuries. According to a police official, it is too early to link the incident to the conflict in the Middle East. In recent days, Iran has targeted several US embassies in the Middle East, while a week ago in Pakistan a group of protesters attacked the US consulate in Karachi.