Qatar PM says Iran strikes feel like ‘a big sense of betrayal’ Iran has elected Mojtaba Khamenei as its new leader, more than a week after his father was killed in an airstrike.
The 56-year-old was chosen to become the next supreme leader on Sunday evening, despite Donald Trump’s insistence that he should have a say in the appointment.
“By a decisive vote, the Assembly of Experts appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the assembly said.
Khamenei will step into the role having never held a position in Iran’s government. He represents a continuation of his father’s hardline policies, having opposed reformers and dialogue with the West.
The decision was announced shortly after the US confirmed that a seventh military service member has died from wounds sustained during Iran’s initial counterattack a week ago. They have not been named.
“Last night, a U.S. service member passed away from injuries received during the Iranian regime’s initial attacks across the Middle East. The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 1,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
Trump called new Iranian supreme leader ‘a lightweight’ US president Donald Trump has derided Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader of Iran, who has never been elected or appointed to a government position, as “a lightweight.”
“We want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Mr Trump said in an interview with Axios last week.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment,” Mr Trump said before the official appointment of the new leader. “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me,” he added.
Iranian state TV said early on Monday that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the country’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, had been named his successor.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 9 March 2026 05:50
Iran fires first missiles at Israel since appointment of new Ayatollah Iran has reportedly resumed its launches of missiles towards Israel this morning, the first such attacks since the appointment of its new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Iranian state TV said early on Monday that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the country’s late supreme leader, had been named his successor.
He had long been considered a contender, even before an Israeli strike killed his father at the start of the war, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.
File: Mojtaba Khamenei (C), the son of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, participates in the annual Quds Day rally in Tehran in 2019 (Middle East Images/AFP via Getty) Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 9 March 2026 05:30
Rocket trails seen in the sky above the Israeli center coastal city of Netanya
Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli center coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on March 9, 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)
Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli center coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on March 9, 2026 (AFP via Getty Images) Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 9 March 2026 05:10
Bangladeshi nationals killed in Saudi Arabia attack Saudi authorities said the two people killed in an attack yesterday in a central city were from Bangladesh.
The Civil Defence said in a statement that 11 other Bangladeshi people were injured along with an Indian national.
An earlier statement from the Saudi agency incorrectly stated the dead included an Indian national.
The attack occurred in Kharj yesterday when a military projectile fell on the residential building of a maintenance and cleaning firm, it said.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 9 March 2026 04:50
Israel launches new wave of attacks on central Iran The Israeli military this morning said it had begun a new wave of attacks in central Iran.
It said it targeted Hezbollah in airstrikes on Beirut, and began airstrikes targeting Iran this morning.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 9 March 2026 04:31
Bahrain says dozens injured in drone attack Bahrain this morning said at least 32 citizens have sustained injuries in an alleged Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra.
The health ministry of Bahrain said all the wounded were Bahraini citizens and there were four “serious cases”, including children.
The wounded included a 17-year-old girl who suffered severe head and eye injuries and a two-month-old baby, according to the ministry.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 9 March 2026 03:51
Crude oil prices surpass $100 a barrel Oil prices eclipsed $114 per barrel for the first time since 2022 this morning as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged past $114 after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. That was up 23 per cent from its Friday closing price of $92.69.
West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, also was selling for about $114 a barrel. That’s 25 per cent higher than its close Friday at $90.90.
More here.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 9 March 2026 03:39
South Korea to impose fuel price cap South Korean president Lee Jae Myung said this morning that authorities would cap domestic fuel prices for the first time in nearly 30 years to contain a spike after the conflict in the Middle East sent global crude prices sharply higher.
Speaking at an emergency meeting on the impact of the Middle East crisis, Mr Lee said the government would “swiftly introduce and boldly implement” a maximum price system on petroleum products that have recently seen excessive price increases.
The current crisis “is a significant burden on our economy, which is highly dependent on global trade and energy imports from the Middle East,” he said in opening remarks.
He added that South Korea will also look for energy sources beyond supplies shipped via the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr Lee said a 100 trillion won ($66.94bn) market stabilisation programme could be expanded if needed, and called on the government and the central bank to prepare additional measures to respond to volatility in financial and foreign exchange markets.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 9 March 2026 03:25
EXCL: Emirates pledges to resume all flights despite Dubai airport attack The biggest airline in the Gulf, Emirates, is resuming flights at scale – despite its hub at Dubai airport being the target of an Iranian attack.
Following fresh drone strikes in the UAE city, flights were briefly suspended on Saturday and passengers were taken into tunnels at the airport, which is normally the busiest global hub in the world.
But Emirates said it would continue to ramp up its operations to and from its hub at Dubai.
James Reynolds 9 March 2026 03:00
Iran war ‘could bring down global economy’ after warning oil could reach $150 a barrel The Gulf state’s energy minister, Saad al-Kaabi, said it would take his country “weeks to months” to return to its normal delivery pattern after an Iranian drone strike at its largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant – with Europe likely to suffer a price spike as a result.
His prediction came as Goldman Sachs bank warned the price of oil could jump to as much as $150 per barrel by the end of March, hitting British consumers and businesses hard.
James Reynolds 9 March 2026 02:00
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-war-israel-trump-mojtaba-khamenei-uk-latest-b2934455.html
