War with Iran Delivers Another Shock to the Global Economy

By PAUL WISEMAN

9:01 AM EDT, March 10, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — The war with Iran is doing collateral damage to the world economy.

The conflict is driving up energy and fertilizer prices; threatening food shortages in poor countries; destabilizing fragile states such as Pakistan; and complicating options for the inflation fighters at central banks like the Federal Reserve.

Causing much of the pain: the Strait of Hormuz — through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes — was effectively shut down after the U.S. and Israel launched missile strikes Feb. 28 that killed Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“For a long time, the nightmare scenario that deterred the U.S. from even thinking about an attack on Iran and which got them to urge restraint on Israel was that the Iranians would close the Strait of Hormuz,” said Maurice Obstfeld, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund. “Now we’re in the nightmare scenario.”

With a key shipping route cut off, oil prices have surged — from less than $70 a barrel on Feb. 27 to a peak of nearly $120 early Monday before settling closer to $90. They’ve taken gasoline prices with them.

According to AAA, the average price of U.S. gasoline has shot up to $3.48 a gallon from just under $3 a week ago. Prices could be felt even more significantly in Asia and Europe, which are more dependent on Middle Eastern oil and gas than the United States.

In India, restaurants are already warning of possible shutdowns as the government prioritizes gas supplies for households. Thailand has suspended overseas travel for civil servants and urged them to take stairs instead of elevators. The Philippines has introduced a temporary four-day work week for some government agencies, while Vietnam is encouraging people to work from home.

20 million barrels of oil a day go missing

Every 10% increase in oil prices — provided they persist for most of the year — will push up global inflation by 0.4 percentage points and reduce worldwide economic output by as much as 0.2%, said Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

“The Strait of Hormuz has to be reopened,” said economist Simon Johnson of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and recipient of the 2024 Nobel memorial prize in economics. “It’s 20 million barrels of oil a day going through there. There’s no excess capacity anywhere in the world that can fill that gap.”

The world economy has shown it can take a punch, absorbing blows from the Russian invasion of Ukraine four years ago and from President Donald Trump’s massive and unpredictable tariffs in 2025.

Many economists express hope that global commerce can stagger through the latest crisis.

“The world economy has shown itself capable of shaking off significant shocks like broad U.S. tariffs, so there is room for optimism that it will prove resilient to the fallout of the war on Iran,” said Eswar Prasad, professor of trade policy at Cornell University.

Timing is everything

Especially if oil prices can fall back to the $70-to-$80-a-barrel range, wrote economist Neil Shearing of Capital Economics, “the world economy may absorb the shock with less disruption than many fear.”

But a lot of ifs remain.

“The question is how long is it going to go on?” said Johnson, also former IMF chief economist. “It’s hard to see Iran backing down now that it’s announced this new leader” – Mojtaba Khamanei. The son of the slain ayatollah is believed to be even more of a hardliner than his father.

Also muddying the outlook for an end to the crisis is uncertainty about what the United States is trying to achieve. “This is all about President Trump,” Johnson said. “It’s not clear when he’s going to declare victory.”

Economic winners and losers

For now, the war is likely to create economic winners and losers.

Energy importers — most of Europe, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India and China — will get clobbered by higher prices, Shearing wrote in a commentary for London’s Chatham House think tank.

Pakistan finds itself in an especially bleak position. The South Asian country imports 40% of its energy and relies especially heavily on liquified natural gas from Qatar, supplies of which have been cut off by the conflict. Higher energy prices will squeeze Pakistani families and damage their economy.

Far from cutting interest rates to provide some relief, though, the country’s central bank will probably have to raise them instead, say economists Gareth Leather and Mark Williams of Capital Economics. That is partly because inflation remains uncomfortably high in Pakistan — and higher energy prices threaten to make it worse.

But oil-producing countries outside the warzone — Norway, Russia, Canada — will benefit from high oil prices without the risk of missile and drone attacks.

Energy isn’t the only issue. Up to 30% of world fertilizer exports – including urea, ammonia, phosphates, and sulfur – pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Joseph Glauber of the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Disruption in the Strait has already cut off fertilizer shipments, raising costs for farmers – and is likely pushing food prices higher.

“Any countries with significant agriculture sectors, including the United States, would be vulnerable,” Obstfeld said. “The effects are going to be most devastating in low-income countries where agricultural productivity may already be challenged. Add this extra cost component and you get the prospect of significant food shortages.”

Where things stand in the US

The United States, now a net exporter of energy, should gain slightly overall from higher oil and gas prices. But ordinary families will feel the pain at a time when Americans are already furious about high costs ahead of November’s midterm elections.

U.S. households pay $2,500 a year, or nearly $50 a week, to fill up their cars, said Mark Mathews, chief economist at the National Retail Federation. A 20% increase in gasoline prices means an extra $10 a week out their budgets, forcing them to cut back elsewhere. “If I have to pay more for an essential, then I would reduce a discretionary item,” Mathews said.

If oil prices remain around $100 a barrel, analysts at Evercore ISI calculated, the resulting higher gasoline prices will wipe out for most Americans the benefits of higher tax refunds this year arising from Trump’s 2025 tax cuts. Only the top 30% would still see a gain.

A quandary for central banks

The Iran crisis also puts the world’s central banks in a bind. Higher energy prices feed inflation. But they also hurt the economy. So should central bankers raise rates to curb inflation — or cut them to give the economy a lift?

The Fed is already divided between policymakers who think a weak American job market needs help from lower rates and those still worried that inflation remains stuck above the central bank’s 2% target.

“Their minds will easily go to the 1970s,” Johnson said, when conflict in the Middle East and an Arab oil embargo sent oil prices rocketing. Central bankers are haunted by the memory that their predecessors “didn’t get it right in the 1970s. They thought it was a temporary shock. They thought they could accommodate with lower interest rates, and they ended up regretting that because inflation became much higher.”

Johnson predicted that higher energy prices ignited by the war with Iran are “going to massively intensify the debate inside the Fed” and make U.S. rate cuts less likely.

Madagascar Interim Leader Dissolves Entire Government, Dismisses PM

The President of Madagascar, Michael Randrianirina, has dissolved the entire government, including dismissing the Prime Minister.

In a statement issued on Monday through the government spokesperson, the government has ceased its functions and that President Randrianirina will appoint the next Prime Minister as stipulated by the country's constitution.

No reason has been given for the dissolution

Colonel Michael Randrianirina has been Madagascar's interim leader since the former president fled in October following demonstrations.

Youth-led demonstrations that started in September against persistent water and power shortages snowballed into a protest movement that the government tried to stop with a crackdown, which left many people dead and injured.

Last year, the Southern Africa African Development Community had directed the military rulers to give direction in the roadmap to restoring democracy in Madagascar, including elections by the end of February.

Pressure has also been mounting, especially from the GenZ movement that helped bring him to power, calling for inclusivity in the government.

Reports indicate that two activist movements, Gen Z and Gen Y, have given the government a 72-hour ultimatum for Randrianirina's resignation.

The alleged frustration and poor performance of his government.

The movements had rejected the appointment of a new Prime Minister in October, saying it was not made in a transparent manner or with consultation.

South Africa Ready to Mediate Amid War on Iran, Cites Energy Strains

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Agencies

4 Mar 2026 16:38

Cyril Ramaphosa says Pretoria is ready to assist in mediation efforts in the escalating war on Iran.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday that Pretoria is prepared to assist diplomatic efforts to defuse the intensifying war in the Middle East, as hostilities triggered by the US and Israeli attacks on Iran continue to reverberate across the region.

Speaking to reporters, Ramaphosa indicated that South Africa would be willing to take part in mediation efforts if international actors request its involvement, stressing the country’s readiness to support initiatives led by the United Nations.

Pretoria is “always ready to play a contributing role, either in mediation or whatever, and if a gap opens or if we are asked, we always live up to obligations. We're a global citizen and therefore can play whatever role the UN would like us to play,” Ramaphosa said.

The South African leader called for an immediate halt to the fighting, describing the situation as deeply alarming and urging political dialogue as the only viable path to ending the violence.

South Africa called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to “this madness", he said, adding that while US President Donald Trump is preoccupied with the war, Pretoria will press for dialogue if the opportunity arises.

Ramaphosa reiterated that diplomacy remains the most effective way to resolve the crisis and avoid further bloodshed.

“Dialogue is always the best way” to end the war and prevent further “unnecessary” loss of life, he said.

War expands

The war has intensified since Washington and Tel Aviv launched a massive aggression on Iran on Saturday. The aggression has reportedly killed more than 1,000 people, including Iran’s Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders.

The escalation occurred while negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program were underway under mediation by Oman.

Iran has since responded with missile and drone attacks targeting "Israel", as well as locations in Gulf countries hosting US military facilities.

World facing dangerous period

Ramaphosa warned that the unfolding situation represents one of the most serious geopolitical developments currently facing the international community.

“The world is facing a very dangerous period at the moment,” he said, describing the Middle East crisis as “calamitous” and warning it could spill beyond the region as more countries become involved.

The South African president said he has contacted several leaders in the region to express condolences and to request that South African nationals living in those countries be protected.

He added that officials from the country’s Foreign Ministry are working to identify citizens who may require assistance and are preparing to facilitate evacuations once regional airspace reopens and travel becomes possible.

War hits Africa

Addressing the Africa Energy Indaba conference, Ramaphosa also cautioned that the repercussions of the war are already being felt across the African continent.

The war is placing pressure on supply networks and pushing energy prices higher, developments that pose serious challenges for economies that rely heavily on imported fuel.

“As we have seen with Russia-Ukraine and during the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting geopolitical sands underscore the vulnerabilities of import-dependent economies across Africa,” Ramaphosa said.

He added that the latest turmoil reinforces the need for African countries to strengthen their energy security and reduce exposure to external shocks through diversification and regional cooperation.

Al-Azhar Urges Peace as Egypt Avoids Condemning US, 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English

3 Mar 2026 14:17

Al-Azhar called for urgent international action to end the expanding conflict in the Middle East, while Egypt emphasizes de-escalation and diplomacy.

Al-Azhar on Tuesday called on the international community to act urgently to establish peace in the Middle East, prevent the conflict from expanding, and "take a decisive decision to extinguish the fires of war that civilians are paying the price for."

The institution urged all parties to exercise restraint, prioritize wisdom and humanity, and return to the negotiating table without delay.

On the diplomatic front, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdel Aaty held phone calls with Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Nadejda Ninski, and Montenegro’s deputy prime minister and Foreign Minister, Ervin Ibrahimovic.

According to Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, Abdel Aaty discussed the repercussions of the military escalation on regional security and stability. He reiterated Cairo’s call for de-escalation and adherence to political and diplomatic solutions to prevent a broader confrontation.

He warned that continued escalation would further complicate the situation and intensify the suffering of populations, stressing respect for sovereignty and the need to bolster regional and international efforts to contain the crisis.

A calibrated silence

The statements come amid "Israel’s" latest aggression against Iran and direct US involvement in the widening confrontation. Yet Cairo has refrained from explicitly condemning Washington or Tel Aviv.

Egyptian officials have instead opted for generalized language about "de-escalation" and "restraint" without publicly assigning responsibility for the attacks.

Analysts argue that this posture reflects political calculation rather than neutrality. Egypt remains heavily tied to the United States through military assistance, security cooperation, and economic dependency. Open confrontation with Washington or "Israel" could carry financial and diplomatic costs that Cairo appears unwilling to incur.

At the same time, Egypt seeks to preserve its image as a regional mediator, a role that requires maintaining working relations with Western capitals.

There are also concrete national interests at stake. A wider war could disrupt maritime trade, threaten energy flows, and impact revenues from the Suez Canal, pillars of Egypt’s already strained economy. In this context, Cairo’s repeated emphasis on "stability" and "containment" reads less as moral positioning and more as strategic risk management.

Since February 28, 2026, the United States and "Israel" have been waging a large-scale aggression against Iran, resulting in hundreds of martyrs and wounded, along with extensive destruction.

Qalibaf: Iran 'Definitely Not' Seeking Ceasefire, Retaliatory Ops. to Continue

Tuesday, 10 March 2026 11:51 AM

Speaker for the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf (Photo by IRNA)

The Iranian Parliament speaker says the Islamic Republic is definitely not seeking a ceasefire and will continue its retaliatory missile and drone strikes against US interests in the region and Israeli assets in the occupied lands to punish the aggressors.

"We are certainly not looking for a ceasefire, and we believe a sharp blow must be delivered to aggressors, so they would draw a lesson and would never think of launching aggression against Iran again," Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf wrote in a post published on his official X account on Tuesday.

He added that the Israeli regime sees its "shameful" existence in the continuation of "war-negotiations-ceasefire and once again war" cycle to assert its dominance, stressing that Iran will break off such a cycle.

The remarks came a day after Qalibaf warned the US that Iran will respond "recklessly" to any attack on its population centers.

The top Iranian legislator said US President Donald Trump has explicitly threatened to target civilian populations in Iran, adding, "This is an official admission by the terrorist government of the United States.”

"Killing people and attacking population centers will have uncontrollable consequences; we will respond recklessly and mercilessly."

He warned that the expansion of the war into targeting infrastructure will have long-term extensive economic repercussions, particularly for the oil market.

Iran Views Any US Ground, Air Assault as Opportunity to 'Kill or Capture' Forces: Source

Tuesday, 10 March 2026 10:21 AM

A mural at Tehran's Vali Asr square.

Iranian security forces are fully ready to confront any potential American sabotage operations, a highly placed security source told Press TV on Tuesday.

Reacting to the claims made by some American and Israeli sources about an air assault and ground incursion into certain sensitive areas and Iran's nuclear capabilities, the source said the Iranian security forces are ready for any eventuality.

The source asserted that this “window of opportunity” will be very suitable for the Iranian forces to “either kill a number of them or take them prisoners.”

"We have been preparing ourselves for such a day for 20 years. Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and some other places have been good exercises on the ground for facing such an enemy," he said in a conversation with Press TV.

The source further stated that the Americans would do better to pay more attention to the bitter experiences of the past and the deadly dangers that await them.

Trump administration officials have been toying with the idea of sending ground troops into Iran as the Israeli-American war against the country intensifies.

“[It would] have to be [for] a very good reason. And I would say if we ever did that, they would be so decimated that they wouldn’t be able to fight at the ground level,” US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday.

In a report on Sunday, Bloomberg said US President Donald Trump is considering the deployment of special forces to seize Iran's near-bomb-grade uranium stockpile.

CNN reported that such an escalation would place a significant number of troops in harm's way as part of a complex mission to secure or render safe tons of highly radioactive material.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in remarks on Sunday, warned that Tehran is fully capable of defending itself against a potential US ground incursion.

“For the time being, we are capable enough. We have very brave soldiers, who are waiting for any enemy who enters our soil to fight with them, and to kill them and destroy them,” Araghchi told NBC in an interview. 

The Israeli-American war of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran entered its 11th day on Tuesday, amid indications that Washington and Tel Aviv are seeking an exit strategy.

Iranian armed forces have conducted 34 waves of retaliatory strikes against targets in the occupied territories and US military installations across the region, deploying advanced missiles and drones that have inflicted high costs on the enemy.

Iranian officials have vowed to continue operations until the aggressor is punished.

Iran Destroys 10 US Radars in Region, Says It Will Decide When War Ends

Tuesday, 10 March 2026 7:08 AM

Spokesperson of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini

The Iranian military forces have so far managed to destroy 10 highly advanced radar systems of the United States in the Persian Gulf region, the IRGC says, stressing that Tehran, and not Washington, is the one that determines the end of the current war.

The spokesperson of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, made the remarks on Tuesday, ten days after a US-Israeli military coalition began an unprovoked war of aggression on the Islamic Republic.

“We know that your ammunition stockpiles are running out and you are desperately seeking a way out of the war that would save your face. Why don’t you tell the truth to the American people?” he addressed American authorities.

US President Donald “Trump does not like the American people to realize that all the US military infrastructure in the Persian Gulf region has been eliminated; that nearly 10 highly advanced US radar systems in the region and a large number of your expensive drones have been destroyed by Iran’s air defense systems,” Brigadier General Naeini added.

The Iranian armed forces have destroyed four advanced American radar systems during reprisal attacks targeting the United States’ anti-missile defense infrastructure in the region.

He further stressed that Trump has become "completely confused and frustrated" by Iran’s multiple waves of Operation True Promise 4, launched by the naval and aerospace units of the IRGC.

“The equations of the region and its future condition are now in the hands of Iran’s Armed forces,” the IRGC spokesman emphasized, stressing, “American forces are not the ones who determine the end of the war.”

Emphasizing that “we are fully capable of expanding the war,” Brigadier General Naeini further stressed that “security will be for all and insecurity will also be for all. We are the ones who determine the end of the war.”

He added that the “liar” American president, in a desperate attempt to deceive public opinion following “disgraceful defeats” in the war, claimed that Iran’s military might has purportedly come to an end.

“In an outright lie, Trump claimed that Iran’s missile launches have severely diminished. But in reality, Iran is more powerful even compared with the early days of the war and is targeting US and Israeli bases with warheads weighing more than a ton,” Brigadier General Naeini noted.

While many analysts believe that Trump has gotten bogged down in the ongoing war, he claimed on Monday that the conflict would be “a short-term excursion.”

Iran’s retaliatory attacks started on February 28, just hours after the US and Israel launched an aerial aggression on Iran by assassinating former Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders.

Iranian reprisal attacks have successfully targeted many locations in the Israeli-occupied territories as well as US military bases in several countries neighboring Iran.

Niger Army Repels Attack on Tahoua Drone Base

Map showing Tahoua, where a drone base was targeted

Africa News

Niger

A military drone base at the airport in Niger’s Tahoua was targeted overnight Sunday. Local authorities say the army fended off the attack, which left left several soldiers injured and several assailants dead.

Eyewitnesses say unidentified assailants pulled up on motorcycles, and that they saw exchanges of fire from the airport and the city centre.

The drone base was built in 2022, and drones from Niger’s air force often operate in the area, which frequently faces jihadist attacks. Normally though, the city of some 100,000 residents is spared from such violence.

The area is also home to groups of armed bandits as well as smuggling routes for drugs.

It comes weeks after the Islamic State group targeted the country’s main airport in Niamey.

Jihadists violence has troubled Niger, which has been ruled by a junta since July 2023, for a decade. The violence usually involves Al-Qaeda and Islamic State group affiliates. It is unclear who is behind the latest attack.

Iranian Official to Al Mayadeen: Security for All or Security for None

By Al Mayadeen English

A top Iranian military official warns that continued US-Israeli aggression against Iran could end regional security, stressing that "either there is security for everyone or security for no one".

A senior Iranian military official told Al Mayadeen that Iran will not allow any oil exports in the region to reach its adversaries and their partners if the ongoing US and Israeli aggression against the country persists.

In exclusive remarks, the official warned that the regional security equation would change if attacks targeting the Iranian people and the country’s critical infrastructure continue. "We will not allow the export of a single liter of oil in the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice," the senior official declared.

Hormuz and wartime security measures

The Iranian official underscored that wartime conditions place commercial activity under heightened security considerations, noting that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will be governed by wartime rules.

"Trade in wartime conditions is subject to security considerations, and the management of the Strait of Hormuz under wartime conditions will be governed by the laws of war," the official stated.

The remarks signal that Iran could take retaliatory steps affecting one of the world’s most critical energy corridors if the aggression against the Islamic Republic escalates further.

It is worth noting that the Israeli regime launched strikes on at least five major fuel and oil storage facilities in Tehran, causing an extensive fire and an ecological disaster in Iran's capital.

‘Either security for all or security for none’

The senior official warned that continued attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure would broaden the scope of insecurity across the region.

"Either there is security for everyone or security for no one, the official explained, adding, "If the aggression persists in targeting Iran’s vital infrastructure, the resulting insecurity will not spare anyone".

The official also pointed to the US-Israeli use of unconventional methods after failing to achieve their objectives through earlier military plans against Iran.

The Iranian official further warned that continued US actions could push the conflict toward more intense scenarios, stressing that "continued vile behavior of the American remnants will push us toward high-intensity, high-focus, and costly scenarios".

He concluded by warning that Tehran remains prepared for a significant escalation if the aggression persists. "We are open to significantly expand the scope of the war," he explained.

Iran FM Defends Attacks on US Bases in Region Citing CENTCOM Propaganda Video

Tuesday, 10 March 2026 2:02 AM

This screengrab from propaganda video released by the U.S. military shows HIMARS rocket systems in action during the unprovoked war of aggression on Iran that initiated on February 28, 2026.

Iran’s foreign minister has defended Iranian strikes against US military bases in the region, citing evidence from a US Central Command video showing American rocket systems operating from neighboring countries.

In a post on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a video shared by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces were using the territory of Iran’s neighbors to launch attacks against the country.

“Thank you CENTCOM for admitting that you are using our neighbors' territory to deploy HIMARS systems against our people, apparently including a desalination plant,” Araghchi wrote.

“Nobody should complain if our powerful missiles destroy these systems wherever they are in retribution.”

Araghchi’s remarks referred to a video posted on CENTCOM’s social media account showing US Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) being fired from a desert location.

The US military did not disclose the location of the launch site.

However, given the estimated range of the HIMARS system, roughly 300 to 500 kilometers depending on the type of missile, analysts say the systems could be positioned along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf, where several US military bases are located.

Iran has repeatedly warned that any US assets used to launch attacks against Iranian territory would be considered legitimate targets.

Tehran said earlier this week that US-Israeli strikes hit a desalination plant on Qeshm Island in southern Iran, disrupting water supplies to more than 30 villages.

Iranian officials condemned the strike as an attack on civilian infrastructure and said it would not go unanswered.

Top Official: Iran Ready for a Long War with US, No More Diplomacy

Monday, 09 March 2026 7:46 PM

Head of Iran's Strategic Council of Foreign Relations Kamal Kharrazi

The head of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations says the United States has proved that it does not know the language of diplomacy, and that Tehran is ready for a long war.

“I no longer see any room for diplomacy. Because [US President] Donald Trump deceives others and does not keep his promises, and we experienced this in two rounds of negotiations. While we were negotiating, they attacked us,” Kamal Kharrazi said in an interview with CNN.

However, he noted that the economic pressure could increase to the extent that other countries take action to guarantee the end of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

"The Persian Gulf Arab countries and other countries must put pressure on the United States to end the war,” Kharrazi stated.

Noting that this war has created a lot of economic pressure on others, in terms of inflation and energy shortages, he said: "If it continues, this pressure will increase, and thereby others will have no choice but to intervene."

The US and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression on Iran on February 28, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country.

The attacks led to the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

The aggression was launched as Tehran and Washington had held three rounds of indirect negotiations in the Omani capital of Muscat and the Swiss city of Geneva and planned to open technical talks in Vienna, Austria.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missiles and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in regional countries.

Iran War Sends Shockwaves Through African Fuel Market and Economies

By ALLAN OLINGO

6:45 AM EDT, March 9, 2026

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Surging oil prices triggered by the war with Iran are rippling across African economies, threatening higher fuel costs, rising inflation and renewed pressure on currencies across the continent.

Africa imports most of the petroleum products it consumes, leaving many economies highly vulnerable to supply disruptions tied to tensions in the Middle East, a region central to global oil flows.

“Africa is a net importer of oil products, meaning it is heavily exposed to shocks like these,” said Nick Hedley, an energy transition research analyst at Zero Carbon Analytics.

When global oil supplies tighten, Nedley said, prices rise while African currencies often weaken as investors move funds into safe-haven assets such as the U.S. dollar.

That combination amplifies the impact of price spikes in import-dependent markets such as Kenya and Ghana.

A similar dynamic unfolded after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when rising crude prices and a weakening currency pushed transport fuel prices in South Africa up by more than 25% within six months, Hedley said.

“The near-term risks come from mainly the rising oil prices and weakening exchange rates as investors move to safe-haven assets,” said Oxford Economics senior economist Brendon Verster.

Oil markets remain particularly sensitive to the conflict because of the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping corridor through which about a fifth of the world’s crude passes.

The impact of higher oil prices across Africa will be uneven.

Countries like Kenya and Uganda say their supply remain stable even as they work on ensuring continuity. Nigeria and Ghana produce crude oil but import most of their refined petroleum products, limiting the benefits to them of higher global prices.

“It’s difficult to say at this point whether they will see net gains,” Hedley said. “Oil producers could benefit from higher crude prices, but ordinary citizens will likely face higher transport and fuel costs, and potentially higher interest rates.”

Still, sustained high prices could bring a windfall for Africa’s major oil exporters. Verster noted that Nigeria exports roughly 1.5 million barrels of oil per day and has based its medium-term fiscal framework on oil prices between $64 and $66 per barrel through 2028.

The war pushed prices above $100 per barrel Monday, a level that if sustained, would significantly boost revenues for exporters including Angola, Algeria and Libya.

For most African households, however, the immediate effect is likely to be higher living costs.

“This is a serious concern,” Hedley said, noting that most food and goods across Africa are transported by road. “Rising fuel costs therefore feed quickly into broader inflation and reduce household purchasing power.”

Peter Attard Montalto, managing director at South African advisory firm Kruthan said the crisis is also testing African economies.

“So far the impact has really been muted, for countries like South Africa,” he said, noting that recent economic reforms have helped stabilize the country’s currency and bond markets.

“Still, higher oil and gas prices are expected to filter into inflation in the coming months,” Montalto said.

Countries already operating under programs from the International Monetary Fund could face additional strain as energy import bills drain scarce foreign exchange reserves. Among the most vulnerable, analysts warn are Sudan, The Gambia, Central African Republic, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Over the longer term, analysts say the crisis may reinforce calls for African nations to diversify their energy systems and reduce dependence on imported fuels.

“It makes strategic sense for African countries to ensure long-term energy security and sovereignty,” said Kennedy Mbeva, a research associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge.

Achieving that, Mbeva said, will require balancing short-term fiscal pressures with long-term investments in clean energy and green industrialization.

Guinea’s Main Opposition Leader Warns of a ‘Party-state’ After 40 Political Parties Dissolved

By MARK BANCHEREAU

3:28 PM EDT, March 8, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Guinea’s main opposition figure on Sunday accused the country’s leader of trying to build a “party-state,” after the government dissolved 40 political parties by decree, including the main opposition ones.

The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization on Friday announced the parties dissolution for their “failure to meet their obligations.” The decree said that the dissolution strips the parties of their legal status and bans their political activity, including the use of their names, logos, emblems and other symbols.

Cellou Dalein Diallo — leader of the main opposition party Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea, one of the dissolved parties — accused President Mamadi Doumbouya of trying to sideline rivals to build a one “party-state,” in a video posted on Facebook on Sunday.

“I urge the leaders, activists and supporters of the UFDG, and all Guineans who cherish liberty and justice, to rise as one and use every means to bring an end to this exceptional regime that has lasted far too long,” Diallo said, adding that dialogue and legal avenues were no longer likely to deliver political change.

Doumbouya, who has been in office since a 2021 military coup, was elected in December in a vote in which all major opposition leaders were barred. During his rule, several political parties and media outlets had already been suspended, while numerous opposition leaders and civil society figures have been arrested or forced into exile.

Among the most prominent parties dissolved Friday are Diallo’s party; the Rally of the Guinean People, which is the party of former President Alpha Condé; and another major opposition party, the Union of Republican Forces, led by opposition figure Sidya Touré. All three leaders are living in exile.

The three parties had already been suspended in August — shortly before a referendum that allowed the leader of the country’s junta to run for president — for failing to comply with the country’s political parties charter.

Guinea is one of the several West African countries that have seen a coup or coup attempt since 2020. Military officers have taken on popular discontent with deteriorating security, underwhelming economies or disputed elections to seize power.

MARK BANCHEREAU

Banchereau covers 22 countries across West and Central Africa for The Associated Press. He is based in Dakar, Senegal.

Oil Surges Past $100 a Barrel as Stocks Tumble Amid US-Israeli Aggression Against Iran

Monday, 09 March 2026 11:56 AM

Crude oil prices have soared past $100 a barrel as the US-Israeli military aggression against Iran continues. (File photo by IRNA)

Crude oil prices have soared past $100 a barrel amid a large-scale and unprovoked US-Israeli war on Iran.

The international benchmark of Brent crude jumped more than 20 percent on Sunday, and at one point hit $115 as concerns increased over prolonged disruptions to global energy supplies.

The benchmark was being traded at around $107.50 as of 0230 GMT on Monday following a slight moderation. The uptick marked the first time oil prices climbed over $100 per barrel since the onset of Russia's operations in Ukraine in 2022.

US President Donald Trump, who campaigned heavily on cost-of-living concerns in the 2024 vote, sought to downplay the rise in prices.

"Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for the USA, and World, Safety and Peace," Trump asserted in a post on Truth Social.

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright also tried to brush off the prospect of soaring energy prices earlier on Sunday.

He told CBS News' Face the Nation program that any increase in prices at the petrol pump would be "temporary."Crude oil prices have spiked by about 50 percent since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28.

The speaker for the Iranian parliament says the continuation of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran will choke off both oil sales and production.

Iran, in retaliation, has effectively brought shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to halt.

Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait -- three of the major producers in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) -- have slashed production amid an accumulating backlog of barrels with no destination to go due to the effective closure of the strategic waterway.

Meanwhile, stocks in Asia tumbled drastically on Monday morning, as investors prepared for the fallout of soaring energy prices.

Japan's 225 index fell more than 7 percent in early trading, while South Korea's KOSPI plunged more than 8 percent.The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong also fell by nearly 3 percent.

US stocks futures, which are regularly traded outside of usual market hours, also experienced significant losses.

Futures tied to Wall Street's benchmark S&P 500 fell by 1.7 percent, while those for the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped by 1.90 percent.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that energy sustained 10 percent rise in oil prices brings about a 0.5 rise in inflation and a 0.15 percent reduction in global economic growth.

Ten Days of War Prove Iran 'Regime Change' Goal is a Costly, Unachievable Fantasy

Monday, 09 March 2026 1:19 PM

By Aaron Ng’ambi

On Saturday, Feb 28, 2026, US President Donald Trump did the unthinkable. An act that will echo and vibrate in the walls of history for generations to come.

In more than five hundred strikes, the US-Israeli military forces jointly dropped missiles on Iran targeting many prominent leaders, institutions and ordinary civilians.

Most importantly, just hours after those attacks, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a press briefing in which he said that "all significant signs showed that the strikes had led to the assassination of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.

This announcement was followed by a post on Truth Social from the US president himself, confirming the news. And almost immediately, and within 24 hours of the attack, the Iranian state media confirmed the development.

This was shocking news to many, and thousands upon thousands took to the streets across the country in mourning a man they held in high esteem as a spiritual and political leader.

Needless to say, from the very beginning, the United States and Israel have demonstrated that this war has nothing to do with the Iranian nuclear program, which was the initial excuse, or perhaps the lie that Trump attempted to use to tell the world why America was going to war with Iran.

Trump publicly declared that "Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon," forgetting that he is the same person who told the world last year in June that the US had obliterated all the nuclear facilities during the so-called Operation Midnight Thunder when Trump bombed Iran.

Thus, to come around now and claim that America is going to war with Iran for its nuclear program is nothing but insulting to the intelligence of the people. It is no wonder that this war has an approval rating of 78% of the people in the US against the war.

In fact, this is why the administration in Washington DC has changed the narrative and is now talking more of “regime change” than Iran’s nuclear program. But obviously, at this point, public opinion concerning this war is of no consequence because the American war hawks and political elite are not really about serving the Americans, but serving the Israelis.

This disapproval of the war is likely to skyrocket, especially now that Trump has flip-flopped many times on the reasons for attacking another independent and sovereign state. He is now more obsessed than ever before with this idea of “regime change” in Iran.

Evidently, this is going to cost the US so much that by the time the war is over, Trump's presidency will crumble with it, because “regime change” cannot be effected by the US on Iran without boots on the ground and without massive escalation. 

There is no doubt that difficult days lie ahead for the global order as we know it since the end of World War II. Clearly, the United States has set a very dangerous precedent in terms of not abiding by international law, the rules-based order and respect for international institutions such as the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, etc.

The kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela is a classic example of such unwarranted actions from the United States. And much worse, the illegal and unprovoked war against Iran by Trump, without seeking Congress's approval and without going to the UN Security Council.

Therefore, only three possible assumptions make sense as to why Trump even considered going to war with Iran. Number one, this war is absolutely a war of choice, instigated by hubris from the US, because of the so-called successful operation in Venezuela. Hence, after what happened in Caracas, as the US military descended on Maduro and captured him, Trump was both shocked in disbelief and also impressed by the might of the American military.

This excited the US president to think that he could just do a quick operation in Iran with limited strikes. Unfortunately, this cannot be further from the truth, and at best, a worse miscalculation that will potentially haunt the Trump presidency long after he leaves office.

The second reason why Trump may have chosen to go against Iran now is simply due to the Epstein file. Just a few days before the Department of Justice was again about to put out more information on the Epstein files, the US president desperately needed a distraction from what could potentially be catastrophic new revelations.

He stepped forward and declared war on Iran during the weekend, and the following week on Tuesday, the DOJ released more information on Epstein, and no one if talking about the said new revelations or how Trump is in the files with new revelations of rape by a named woman who actually made these claims many years ago and reported to the authorities then, but to no avail.

Any serious analysis on this subject cannot rule out the impact and influence of whatever is contained in the Epstein files on the impulsive decisions coming out of the White House. This is why, independent and alternative media in the US are referring to this war as Operation Epstein Fury, as opposed to the official name given by the Trump administration – Operation Epic Fury.

And lastly, the other obvious reason why the US government has decided to strike Iran is because of the Israeli regime, the Christian Zionists in America, the Israeli lobby in Washington DC and the Zionist donors who gave millions of dollars to Trump’s campaign.

These different groups that have exerted enormous pressure on Trump all share the same religious ideology of Armageddon, which is a war to be fought between the forces of good and evil during the end times. This war is supposedly meant to bring about the second coming of the messiah.

As for Netanyahu, who has tried for many years to drag the US into a war with Iran, his interest is nothing more than breaking up Iran into a failed state like Syria, so that it does not pose an imminent threat to the so-called Greater Israel project. Sadly, there are some Christian Zionists who believe that Trump is such a man, anointed by Jesus to start a war that will bring about the end times.

Regrettably, this is the kind of rubbish that some military commanders in the US are feeding their units to sell this war to them. Over 200 military service men and women launched complaints to a religious watchdog against this kind of misplaced biblical rhetoric.

Even though the United States likes to boast that its military is the greatest on earth, such a statement is not exactly accurate, because the American military is the most expensive and advanced, but not necessarily the greatest. In fact, technological superiority can be a liability in a war such as this one; it is too expensive, and you cannot afford to lose it.

Therefore, you become risk averse meanwhile the other side has nothing to lose. Just a few days ago, at the start of this war, both Israel and the US fired 11 interceptors at a single Iranian missile, spending roughly about $11 million to $33 million to try and shoot down a missile worth $100,000, and failed to succeed. By this example, it is very clear that if this war goes on for weeks, months or even years, it will be the Americans and the Israelis who will pay a huge price.

Actually, the US president will do well to find a ramp off, or an excuse to stop the bombings and end this war of aggression now, before it is too late or before he is sucked into this war too deeply.

Some of the fundamental questions that we need to answer in trying to make sense of this situation are whether the US and Israel stand a chance to win against Iran, or will Iran prevail? And after all is said and done, how will this end?

In order to address such fundamental questions, we have to look at this war from a purely strategic point of view. The United States will desperately have to win this war, but the question is, how does "winning this war" look like for the Trump regime? Is it “regime change” in Trehan or render Iran as a failed state with a US puppet installed at the helm of whatever replaces the Islamic Republic?

Honestly, it is difficult to quantify or define what would constitute a win for the United States and Israel in this war, because the objectives of this war are so vague, unclear and constantly changing. In order to win a war such as this, the military objectives should have been well thought through and communicated from the get-go. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the Trump administration.

Iran does not need to "win" this war by any means - all they have to do is just survive it. The notion that war is about guns and missiles, and overwhelming force, is absolutely misplaced. Not long ago, the US Secretary of War publicly bragged about how the US air force will soon take over the Iranian airspace and “control everything.”

He thinks that by taking over the airspace in Iran, this would amount to some sort of victory. Clearly, Secretary Hegseth has a lot to learn about war – and Vietnam would be a good starting point.

The military doctrine of shock and awe and controlling the country’s airspace is not what wins wars; it’s the people’s will and determination. The United States controlled the airspace of North Vietnam for as long as the war lasted, but the peasant rice farmers of North Vietnam defeated the Americans and forced them to flee after 30 years of fighting for their homeland.

Surely, Iran will put everything into this war and will ensure that it sees it to the end, which is the most likely outcome, because most factors in this war favor Iran in the long term. It's unthinkable to imagine that the US can fight a war of attrition in Iran with only precision strikes; that is not possible at all.

And to make matters worse, the Trump administration has now shifted its talking points and seems to be so focused on this idea of “regime change.” Undoubtedly, the US president and his team have learned nothing from history, because if they did, then they would know that no “regime change” wars have ever been or can be achieved by air power without boots on the ground.

This simply means that, if Trump is really committed to a “regime change” operation in Iran, then he will have to send troops to occupy Tehran, physically eliminate the government in place and then install a regime that plays ball with the United States.

In all practical purposes, this is far-fetched and seemingly a pipe dream, especially since the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, has taken over. He is the son of the assassinated Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and knows the job well.

The war of attrition will be very costly to the US Treasury and to human life. Right now, in the early days of the war, it is projected that the US is spending roughly about $1 billion a day; this is not sustainable in the long run. Another disadvantage for America fighting a war of attrition for “regime change” is simply the fact that Iran's fortress landscape of mountains will be nothing but a death trap for US troops if they invade Iran.

They will have no supply for basic necessities, which soldiers need desperately for war, and they will have to rely on air supply, which would make them vulnerable to the locals who know and understand Iran’s terrain.  This is why Iran’s foreign affairs minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated that if the Americans decide to put troops on the ground in Iran, we are waiting and we will be ready for them. 

So, the United States and Israel will do well to quickly realize that Iran cannot be easily fragmented into regional factions as they did with Libya, Syria and Iraq. And it is not even possible to bomb Iran into submission. Thus, the talk of unconditional surrender by Trump is just a sheer waste of time.

These people will fight this war to the bitter end, even if it means sacrificing everything for the cause. So, before things get too complicated, the US should withdraw from this war of choice and give peace a chance. Or else, it will continue to get hit by the determined Iranians.

Aaron Ng'ambi is a Zambia-based political analyst and columnist.

Putin Congratulates Iran on Election of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as New Leader

Monday, 09 March 2026 1:08 PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended his congratulations to Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei over his election as new Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

In a congratulatory message on Monday, Putin expressed confidence that the new Leader would continue his father’s work “honorably” and would unite the Iranian people in the face of severe trials.

“Now, when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your work in this high office will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication,” Putin was quoted by the Kremlin as saying.

The Russian president reaffirmed Moscow's “unwavering” support for Tehran and solidarity with its friends in Iran.

Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei has been elected the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts, a body of 88 clerics, on Sunday night officially appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, as the new and third Leader of the Islamic Revolution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He is the son of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was martyred in US-Israeli terrorist attacks on February 28.

Iranian officials, state institutions, armed forces, and people from across the country pledged allegiance to the new Leader on Monday.

AEOI Chief: No Disruption in Supply of Radiopharmaceuticals Despite US-Israeli Aggression

Monday, 09 March 2026 1:28 PM

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami (Photo by IRNA)

The chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says production and distribution of Iranian radiopharmaceuticals continue uninterruptedly despite the US-Israeli military aggression against the country.

Mohammad Eslami said on Monday that the Iranian nuclear program is advancing without any interruptions as the know-how is entirely homegrown and belongs to all Iranians.

"We have made appropriate planning in the field of providing services to the people," he stated, emphasizing that the raw materials required for the processes have been stored in sufficient quantities.

The Iranian nuclear chief further noted that alternative routes have also been arranged so that the production of pharmaceuticals does not cease, and the treatment process of patients does not stop.

The United States and Israel launched a large-scale and unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on February 28, assassinating Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and high-ranking military commanders, even as Tehran was in the midst of nuclear negotiations with Washington.

Within the framework of their legitimate self-defense response, Iran's Armed Forces immediately launched forceful missile and drone strikes against US interests in the region and Israeli assets in the occupied territories.

Following the assassination of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who led Iran for 37 years since the 1989 demise of the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, the Assembly of Experts elected Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the third Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Iran Parliament Hails Election of New Leader, Pledges Allegiance

Monday, 09 March 2026 6:45 AM

File photo of Majlis (the Iranian Parliament)'s interior

Members of Majlis (the Iranian Parliament) have issued a statement, pledging allegiance to Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei and regarding the new Leader as the most qualified figure capable of filling the capacity.

In a statement on Monday, the lawmakers described Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the most suitable personality to continue the luminous path of the founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini and the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

The statement followed the Assembly of Experts' appointment of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the Islamic Republic's new Leader following the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei during renewed imposed aggression towards the Islamic Republic by the United States and the Israeli regime.

The new Leader, the parliamentarians added, would lead the nation with the same wisdom, firmness, faith in the people, and revolutionary spirit.

"We bow in reverence before the grandeur and splendor of the struggles of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution and extend our condolences over his martyrdom to the noble nation of Iran, the global Muslim nation, and all freedom-loving people around the world,” the statement read.

Lawmakers emphasized that, at this current decisive juncture in the history of the Islamic Revolution, they regarded Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei's appointment as the third Leader of the Islamic Revolution as a clear sign of the vitality and strength of the country's Islamic establishment, which represents religious democracy.

The establishment, they noted, consists of a structure in which the country’s highest authority emerges from the will of the people and, within the framework of the Constitution, is determined through the discernment and recognition of the Assembly of Experts, thereby ensuring the "continuation of the Revolution’s wise leadership.”

They vowed allegiance to the new Leader throughout the current state of affairs, "when the Islamic Republic is engaged in a struggle against arrogant foreign aggressors."

Such commitment, they added, was aimed at helping "the Islamic Republic of Iran continue its path of progress, independence, national dignity, and justice with even greater strength than before.”

The legislators called on the nation, elites, political and social forces, youth, academics, and seminary scholars to preserve unity and national solidarity, rally around the new leadership, and not allow the enemies to exploit this historical juncture to create division or weaken the national will.

They asserted certainty that, under the new Leader, the country would tread successfully through this "second step of the Revolution with greater momentum."

"The path toward the country’s progress, strengthening of national power, deepening of justice, and movement toward the realization of a modern Islamic civilization will be pursued with determination.”

Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei's appointment as the country's new Leader has similarly been received with uniform appreciation among Iran's defensive and political apparatuses with successive affirmations of allegiance.

Iranians Rally Nationwide to Pledge Allegiance to New Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei

Monday, 09 March 2026 2:23 PM

People gather in Tehran’s Enqelab Square, on March 9, 2026, to pledge their allegiance to new Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

Iranians have taken to the streets in cities and towns across the country to pledge their allegiance to the newly appointed Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

The rallies are underway on Monday in the capital, Tehran, as well as other major cities, including Shiraz, Kerman, Ahvaz, Tabriz, Hamedan, Ardabil, and beyond.

In Tehran, the rally is being held at Enqelab Square, where participants were seen waving the Iranian national flag and chanting slogans such as “Death to the US” and “Death to Israel.”

People gather in Qom on March 9, 2026, to pledge their allegiance to new Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

Participants who spoke to Press TV said they had gathered to reaffirm their loyalty and allegiance to the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution, vowing their full support to him.

"We lost our beloved Leader while he was leading our caravan against the arrogant powers of the world. The wound is too deep, but now there is reassurance in the form of the new Leader, his worthy successor, who will take the mission forward," one of the participants in the Tehran rally told Press TV.

People gather in Tehran’s Enqelab Square, on March 9, 2026, to pledge their allegiance to new Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.

Participants also backed the country's armed forces in their powerful retaliatory operations against the Israeli regime and the US military bases in the region.

They said the Iranian nation will avenge the sacred blood of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, top-ranking commanders and ordinary civilians, including 165 schoolchildren massacred at a school in southern Iran.

The countywide rallies came hours after Iran’s Assembly of Experts, a body of 88 top clerics of the country, formally elected Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, as the new and third Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei succeeds his father, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in Israeli airstrikes on his office in Tehran on February 28, the first day of the ongoing US-Israeli terror aggression against Iran.

Following Ayatollah Khamenei’s assassination, a three-member temporary leadership council led the country until a new leader was chosen on Sunday evening.

The US and Israel have been waging their illegal military assault against Iran, deliberately targeting Iran’s civilian infrastructure and killing at least 1,332 people.

Iran has carried out multiple rounds of retaliatory missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on the US assets in regional countries.

Profile: Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, Third Leader of the Islamic Revolution

Monday, 09 March 2026 10:23 AM

By Humaira Ahad

The Assembly of Experts on Sunday announced Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the third Leader of the Islamic Revolution after a rigorous process that lasted more than a week.

Late on Sunday, as people were in mosques immersed in special Ramadan prayers, Iran’s Assembly of Experts announced Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the third Leader of the Islamic Revolution, following the martyrdom of Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

"By a decisive vote, the Assembly of ​Experts elected Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the ​assembly said in a statement.

Born in 1969 in the holy city of Mashhad, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is the second son of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, who shouldered the responsibility for 37 years after the passing of the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini.

He spent his formative years in Tehran, completing his secondary education at the renowned Alavi School, an institution known for nurturing many prominent figures of the Islamic Republic’s intellectual and political life.

His early youth coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in modern Iranian history. At just seventeen years old, during the Iran-Iraq War, he volunteered on the front lines and served as a member of the Habib ibn Mazaher Battalion of the 27th Mohammad Rasulollah Division in Tehran.

The experience would go on to shape his outlook and deepen his commitment to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution.

After the war, in 1989, he moved to the holy city of Qom to begin advanced seminary studies.

He remained there until early 1992 before returning to Tehran, where he continued his religious education for five years.

In 1997, he married Zahra Haddad Adel. The couple has three children, two sons, Mohammad‑Bagher and Mohammad Amin, and a daughter, Fatemeh.

His wife was martyred on February 28 in the illegal US-Israeli military aggression against the Islamic Republic that also led to the martyrdom of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Following his marriage, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei returned to the holy city of Qom to complete his higher seminary education.

He studied advanced levels of jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence under some of the most distinguished scholars of the Qom seminary.

He also attended the highest-level of seminary lectures, in which senior scholars engage in independent juristic reasoning.

According to several prominent religious authorities in Qom, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei distinguished himself through intellectual rigor, precision, and independence of thought.

His scholarly work has contributed to innovative discussions within traditional seminary sciences, particularly in jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence, and the science of narration.

Over the years, his lectures in Qom seminary have attracted thousands of students, making his classes among the most widely attended in the world-famous seminary.

Religious experts note that the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution possesses a coherent and structured intellectual framework across the codified Islamic sciences.

His commitment to principled scholarship and his methodical approach to research have been reflected in a growing body of academic work addressing a range of religious and social questions.

In addition to supporting various revolutionary jurisprudential institutes and research centres, he has independently helped establish academic institutions and specialized schools of jurisprudence aimed at cultivating the next generation of scholars.

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is also known for maintaining close relations with leading religious authorities and prominent scholars in the seminaries of Qom and Mashhad.

Within Iran’s religious establishment, the new Leader has been active in supporting academic and jurisprudential institutions aimed at strengthening the intellectual foundations of the Qom seminary.

At the same time, he has placed significant emphasis on social responsibility and service to disadvantaged communities.

Through educational initiatives and social programs, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has encouraged the development of a generation of committed and socially conscious scholars and activists.

Beyond religious scholarship and social work, he has been involved in discussions on a wide range of national priorities, including economic stability, housing development, agricultural modernization, technological advancement, and support for knowledge-based industries and emerging fields such as artificial intelligence.

During the tenure of his father as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, he assisted him in overseeing a number of important national affairs.

As one of his father’s advisers, he participated in numerous consultations and working meetings with senior officials across different governments of the Islamic Republic.

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has also maintained strong ties with figures associated with the Axis of Resistance, known for supporting their causes.

He shared a particularly close relationship with Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the martyred leader of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

He also maintained a longstanding relationship with Iran’s renowned anti‑terror commander, General Hajj Qasem Soleimani, who was martyred in 2020.

However, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is known for keeping a low public profile. Avoiding personal publicity, he has emphasized strengthening the broader intellectual current of the Islamic Revolution, particularly the legacy of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei.

His conscious effort to not be associated with any particular political current in the country has earned him tremendous respect across Iranian society, winning the confidence of senior clerics, political figures, scholars, and the wider public.

With decades of scholarly training, close engagement with the country’s governing institutions, and longstanding connections within the religious circles, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei now assumes leadership of the Islamic Republic at a pivotal moment in its history, when the United States and Israel have launched a brutal war against the country.

Going by the statements issued by top officials of the country, as well as armed forces who have pledged their allegiance to him, the new Leader will be looking to carry forward and build on the illustrious legacy of his martyred predecessor.

US Insolence Won’t Go Unanswered; It Will Not Be Let Off the Hook: Security Chief

Saturday, 07 March 2026 10:21 PM

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council

Iran’s top security official has warned that the United States’ hostile actions against the Islamic Republic will not go unanswered, stressing that Tehran will rely on the determination of its people to confront the American aggression.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, made the remarks on Saturday, a week after the US launched fresh acts of unprovoked aggression against the Islamic Republic along with the Israeli regime.

“The United States must understand that crossing [Iran's] red lines and violating international law will not go unanswered,” Larijani said.

Underscoring the Islamic Republic’s stance, he said relying on national bravery, Iran "will not leave America’s aggression and insolence unanswered, and will not let them off the hook.”

'Trump upended 'America First' strategy in favor of Israel'

Larijani also criticized the rhetoric and conduct of US President Donald Trump, saying Washington’s approach reflected a broader strategic impasse.

“The hysterical behavior and undiplomatic language of Donald Trump reflect a strategic deadlock and his absolute subservience to Israeli policies, something that has effectively changed the slogan ‘America First’ into ‘Israel First.’”

He added that Trump “has found himself in a predicament resulting from being deceived by Israel. Instead of the slogan ‘America First,’ he sacrificed his country’s interests for Israel and now, through undiplomatic behavior, is only damaging his own credibility.”

Larijani said recent American strikes on facilities inside Iran demonstrated Washington’s frustration following the failure of broader political goals.

“Recent US attacks on empty governmental, educational, and medical facilities are a sign of desperation and ‘hysterical behavior’ stemming from failure in projects aimed at partition and subversion in Iran."

Despite pressure and the impact of bombings, he said Iran had avoided a broader crisis due to public resilience and state management.

“Despite economic pressure and the damage caused by bombings, the resilience of the people and the proper management of resources prevented a crisis in people’s livelihoods.”

US strategy vs. Iran a 'certain failure'

Therefore, the security chief argued, Washington had failed to achieve its strategic objectives against Iran.

“Trump’s strategic failure regarding Iran is certain. Their primary objective was the collapse of the governing system and the destruction of national unity, an objective that has failed.”

He said the outcome had instead reinforced cohesion within the country.

“Contrary to the enemy’s expectations, social cohesion and public cooperation with security institutions such as the Basij volunteer force have been preserved due to public awareness.”

'America's regional influence in flux'

According to the official, the consequences of Washington’s policies have also reshaped perceptions of the American influence in the region.

“Today, not only has America’s authority in the region collapsed, but neighboring countries have also come to realize that the United States is no longer capable of guaranteeing their security," he stated.

“These consequences are the logical outcome of the US president’s misguided decisions.”

National unity presented as Iran’s central strength

Larijani said the unity of the Iranian people has played a decisive role in thwarting external pressure.

“The civilizational maturity of the Iranian nation is the final blow to Trump’s imperial illusions.”

“What is unfolding in Iran’s streets today is a manifestation of the ‘national pride’ and ‘civilizational maturity’ of a nation that clearly understands the difference between internal grievances and betrayal of its homeland.”

'Trump's claim of influence in Iran's leadership process ridiculous'

The official also roundly dismissed any susceptibility on the part of the Islamic Republic to foreign influence concerning its leadership process.

“The enemy intended to shatter Iran by martyring the Imam of this country, but the epic presence of the people across all provinces neutralized their final weapon.”

He was referring to the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in an unprovoked aggression that was followed by Iranians staging millions-strong mourning processions and rallies and their pledging support for the Islamic Republic.

“Trump’s ridiculous claim about intervening in the selection of Iran’s future leadership is an insult to a nation with a deep civilization, one that knew the art of statecraft centuries before the United States even existed,” Larijani noted.

'Iranians will never deal with an untrustworthy enemy'

“At the height of his foolishness, Trump imagined that by threatening to reveal imaginary messages he could create divisions within the nation. But he fails to understand that Iranians, even with differing views, will never trade their identity and independence with an untrustworthy enemy.”

The latter remarks referred to Trump's claim of "help is on the way" that the US president came up with before Washington launched its latest unlawful aggression towards the Islamic Republic.

The United States had pursued a strategy aimed at triggering a rapid collapse of Iran’s political structure, but had misjudged the country’s resilience, Larijani said.

“The enemy sought, through the martyrdom of the Leader and commanders, to cause the rapid collapse of the administrative and governing structure. Drawing on models such as Venezuela, they chose the strategy of a ‘severe but short war’ to break national morale and drag the country into chaos.”

However, the Iranian nation transformed this great tragedy not into passivity, but into resilience and solidarity, he stated.

The official, meanwhile, noted that economic disruption featuring the creation of organized shortages of staples was also part of the strategy, but government management prevented such a scenario from unfolding even under severe pressure.

“Despite maximum pressure and surging demand, the government’s determined management prevented this plan from materializing. Even at the height of the crisis, with an unprecedented daily consumption of 190 million liters of gasoline, there was no disruption in fuel distribution or the supply of goods.”

“Today the United States is trapped in the swamp of its own miscalculations and, contrary to its expectations, is facing a nation that has turned crisis into an opportunity for greater unity.”

Warning against regional provocations

Larijani also denounced the Israeli regime for attempting to inflame tensions between Iran and its neighbors.

“Through intrigue and conspiracy, Israel seeks to provoke conflict between Iran and countries in the region, including Azerbaijan.”

Tehran’s policy, however, remains focused on maintaining constructive relations with neighboring states “unless their territory is used against our national security,” he remarked.

US Intelligence Says ‘Regime Change’ Not Possible in Iran Even with Broader War

Saturday, 07 March 2026 5:03 PM

Tehran’s 12,000-seat Azadi Sports Complex was attacked in an American-Israeli aggression on March 5, 2026. (Photo by IRNA)

A classified assessment by the National Intelligence Council has concluded that even a large-scale military offensive against Iran would be unlikely to topple the country’s political and security establishment.

The Washington Post, citing US officials familiar with the matter, reported on Saturday that the assessment suggests that the Islamic Republic’s system of governance is resilient enough to withstand even significant military pressure.

The report’s findings raise questions about the feasibility of the strategy advocated by US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said he intends to “clean out” Iran’s leadership structure.

According to officials cited in the report, the intelligence analysis examined potential outcomes of both limited strikes targeting senior leaders and broader attacks aimed at crippling Iran’s leadership and state institutions.

In both scenarios, analysts concluded that the country’s political and military institutions would preserve continuity of power.

American officials worry about the rapid depletion of the US military’s advanced weaponry amid the ongoing military aggression on Iran.

The report determined that even with the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the country’s ruling system would continue to function through established succession mechanisms.

These procedures include the appointment of a new leader by the powerful Assembly of Experts, a body responsible for overseeing leadership transitions.

Intelligence analysts also concluded that the prospect of Iran’s fragmented opposition taking power after a military strike was “unlikely,” according to people familiar with the classified findings.

The assessment comes as the US-Israeli aggression against Iran enters its second week and expands across multiple regions.

Despite the intelligence community’s caution, the Trump administration has publicly emphasized its military objectives.

Trump has also suggested that Washington could influence Iran’s future political leadership.

However, Iranian officials have rejected any notion of outside involvement in determining the country’s leadership.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, dismissed the idea that the US could influence the succession process, stating that Iran’s political future would be decided solely by the Iranian people.