Khamenei

• India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) and other agreements focused on defense, technology, and investment to strengthen their strategic partnership. • In international diplomacy, Salman Khurshid will represent the Congress party at the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran. • A massive overnight Russian attack on Kyiv resulted in at least 17 deaths and over 90 injuries, marking a significant escalation in violence.

• Mediators have announced that the next round of indirect talks between the US and Iran will take place following the funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei. • Vice President JD Vance stated that current discussions in Doha are "going well," with negotiations regarding the nuclear issue expected to commence shortly. • President Pezeshkian emphasized that all diplomatic efforts are being conducted under the strategic direction of the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

• The Iranian political establishment is facing unprecedented institutional friction and leadership fractures following the transition of authority from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. • This internal instability is compounded by widespread socioeconomic unrest, signaling a deepening systemic crisis within the post-Khamenei power structure. • The situation is critical as it reveals a lack of cohesion among the ruling elite, potentially weakening the regime's ability to maintain control over the population.

He had IRGC’s trust while having his differences with hardliners and had huge sway with likes of China and RussiaMiddle East crisis – live updatesIf confirmed, Israel’s assassination of Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council and one of the linchpins of Iranian politics, would be a devastating body blow to the country and probably a bigger reverse than the loss of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei at the outset of the war.In any attempt to decapitate the Iranian leadership, Larijani would always be the prime target, largely because of his ability to straddle so many levels of Iranian politics and his huge personal influence not just in Iran but with foreign states including China and Russia. Continue reading...

President Trump announced on March 14, 2026, that US troops attacked Kharg Island, Iran's key energy export facility, following joint US-Israel strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. The operation marks a major escalation in the US-Iran war, disrupting Iran's oil lifeline and prompting Iranian cyber retaliation. Tensions heighten domestic terrorism risks and strain federal agencies amid midterm election pressures. Next steps may involve further military actions or diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict.