As the war continues… Iran officially announces Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader and Iranian forces declare their allegiance

Iran’s Assembly of Experts announced on Sunday the election of Mojtaba Khamenei as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was martyred at the start of the US-Israeli attack on Tehran on February 28.

The 88-member Council announced in a statement: “In today’s extraordinary session, and based on the decisive vote of the esteemed representatives of the Assembly of Experts, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei… The third leader of the Islamic Republic since its establishment in 1979.

For his part, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, said that Mojtaba Khamenei can lead Iran in these sensitive circumstances, adding, “We call for standing united behind the new Supreme Leader”.

“The Assembly of Experts has chosen a new leader despite threats of targeting,” he said.

The IRGC was quick to announce its allegiance to the new Supreme Leader.

The Revolutionary Guard said it supports the choice of a respected leadership expert council and is ready to fully obey and sacrifice oneself to fulfill divine commandments.

It came hours after US President Donald Trump threatened that any new leader chosen by Iran without his approval wouldn’t stay long.

Speaking to ABC News, Trump said any new leader “has to get approval from us,” adding, “If we don’t approve him, he won’t stay long”.

Israel has also preempted the selection of the new leader by threatening that any successor to Khamenei will be a sure target for assassination.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday reiterated his rejection of any foreign interference in the nomination of the Supreme Leader.

He told NBC that Tehran doesn’t allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs.

“It’s up to the Iranian people to elect their new leader,” he stressed.

Three members of the Assembly of Experts announced in statements reported by Iranian media on Sunday that the council had reached the selection of the next leader, without mentioning his name.

Meanwhile, the intensive US-Israeli strikes on Iran continue, which are responding by targeting sites in Israel and in the Gulf states.

On Sunday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a statement that one of its soldiers died of wounds sustained in an Iranian attack on Saudi Arabia, becoming the Eighth US military to be killed since the start of the war with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

On Sunday afternoon, explosions were heard in Tehran, which woke up in the morning to a black cloud covering the sky accompanied by a strong smell of fire after overnight raids on four oil depots and a logistics site used to transport oil products in the capital.

The strikes are the first targeting of Iranian oil facilities since the start of the US-Israeli offensive last Saturday.

The Israeli military confirmed that it had targeted a number of fuel tanks that it said Iran was using to secure the functioning of its military facilities.

Yemen’s Houthis welcomed the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic on Sunday evening, calling it a resounding blow to the enemies of the Islamic Republic.

“The election of Mojtaba Khamenei at this sensitive and important stage in the nation’s history represents a new victory for the Islamic Revolution and a resounding blow to the enemies of the Islamic Republic and the enemies of the nation,” the political bureau of Houthis, Ansar Allah wrote on Telegram.

As the war enters its ninth day, Iran has confirmed that it can continue for at least another six months.

The war has expanded to an unprecedented extent in the Middle East.

On Sunday, Iran bombed infrastructure in the Gulf, hitting fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport and damaging a desalination plant in Bahrain.

In the UAE, the Ministry of Defense reported that its air defenses had dealt with missile and drone threats coming from Iran.

In Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said, “We regret the unprecedented attacks on our country and brotherly and friendly countries that cannot be justified under any pretext by Iran”.

The Israeli military said it had carried out 3,400 strikes in one week on Iran, while Washington reported that the number of strikes had reached 3,000.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Sunday that it had fired rockets towards Israel targeting Tel Aviv, the Negev desert and the south, as well as at US air bases in the area.

According to the latest toll announced by Iran’s health minister and published on X on Sunday, the US and Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,200 people and injured more than 10,000 civilians.