Iran appoints Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader amidst war.

Iran has appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, as its new Supreme Leader, signaling that hardline factions remain in power amid the US-Israeli conflict.

On March 9, 2569 at 09.39 p.m., Reuters news agency reported that Iran announced on Monday the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as its new Supreme Leader. This signals that hardline factions still hold power in the country, while the war between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has lasted more than a week, has pushed global oil prices above $100 per barrel.

Mojtaba, an influential cleric with connections to the security and business networks within his father's regime, had long been considered a leading candidate for succession before the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member cleric responsible for selecting the supreme leader, voted to appoint him at its meeting on Sunday.

The council of experts stated in a press release that: "By a decisive vote, the Council of Experts has appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third leader of the holy system of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

The Supreme Leader is the highest authority in Iran, holding the power to make decisions on all important national issues. Such an appointment is likely to displease U.S. President Donald Trump, who has previously stated that Washington should play a role in selecting Iran's new leader, saying, "If he's not accepted by us, he won't last long."

Israel had previously threatened to attack whoever was chosen as the new Supreme Leader.

Following the announcement of Mojtaba Khamenei's appointment, Trump told the Times of Israel, "We'll have to wait and see what happens," and added that ending the war would have to be a joint decision between the United States and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Earlier, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial attack of a military operation against Iran more than a week ago.

In terms of the conflict situation, the U.S. State Department ordered non-essential staff at the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia to leave the country due to security risks following Iran's attack on U.S. bases in the region.

The U.S. military also reported that one more American soldier died from injuries sustained in Iran's initial retaliatory attack last week, bringing the total death toll to seven.

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations stated that the attacks by the United States and Israel had killed at least 1,332 Iranian civilians and injured thousands more.

Oil prices surged above $100.

The escalating war has had a severe impact on global energy trade, causing crude oil prices to surge and putting pressure on global financial markets. US crude (WTI) rose more than 20% in early Monday trading, reaching its highest level since July 2565, while Brent crude jumped 17% to $108.73 per barrel, after already rising 28% the previous week.

Market concerns partly stem from the risk that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy trade, could be disrupted for an extended period.

In the financial markets, S&P 500 futures fell 1.6%, while Nasdaq futures dropped 1.7%. The dollar also strengthened sharply against the euro and yen.

Trump said via social media that oil prices would fall sharply once the Iranian nuclear threat was dismantled, and stated that the rise in oil prices was a very small price to the security and peace of the United States and the world.

Iran vows to retaliate.

Iranian state media reported that the leaders of the country's armed groups have declared their allegiance to the new Supreme Leader, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that it is ready to obey Mojtaba Khamenei's orders.

Iranian security official Ali Larijani revealed that the council of experts convened to select a new Supreme Leader despite threats of attack against the committee, emphasizing that Mojtaba can guide the country through the current sensitive situation.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to launch retaliatory attacks against the United States and Israel in several areas of the region.

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense revealed that its air defense system intercepted a drone attempting to attack the embassy district in Riyadh, an area where several embassies, including the U.S. embassy, ​​are located.

The United States has also raised its security alert level for Saudi Arabia and ordered the withdrawal of some staff from its embassies in Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain since the war began.

Israel continues its attacks on key Iranian figures, stating that it killed Abol Qasem Babeian, the chief of the military office of the new Supreme Leader, in an attack on Saturday.

The war has entered a dangerous phase.

As fighting escalated on the ninth day of the military operation, the United States and Israel attacked oil storage facilities in Tehran, resulting in plumes of black smoke covering the city.

Esmail Baghei, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They stated that the massive attack represented a dangerous new phase of conflict and constituted a war crime.

The Israeli military insists that the fuel depot is being used to support Iran's war efforts, including the production of fuel for missiles, and therefore constitutes a legitimate military target.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli government would continue its attacks and would ruthlessly target Iranian leaders.

“We have a systematic plan, with many surprises in store, to shake the regime and pave the way for change,” he said in a video statement.

refer : reuters.com

Staying updated: The US and Israel launch attacks on Iran, escalating tensions throughout the Middle East.