Overview
- The Assembly of Experts formally named Mojtaba Khamenei the Islamic Republic’s third Supreme Leader, with state channels presenting the decision as unanimous.
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s regular armed forces publicly vowed full loyalty and “total obedience” to the new leader.
- Iran launched new missiles toward Israel following the announcement and stepped up attacks on Gulf states, with a Bahraini drone strike injuring 32 civilians including children and prompting Saudi and Emirati warnings and air-defense activations.
- Israel intensified operations inside Iran and Lebanon, striking IRGC and Basij targets in Isfahan and hitting fuel infrastructure around Tehran, with global oil prices rising above $100 a barrel.
- U.S. and Israeli leaders rejected the succession and signaled the new leadership remains a target; Iranian state TV described Mojtaba Khamenei as ‘war-wounded,’ and he has not appeared in public since the conflict began.