LIVE Trump ‘not happy’ with Kahmenei’s son as Iran new Supreme Leader

US President Donald Trump has told Fox News he is ‘not happy’ about Iran’s decision to select Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader.

Khamenei has previously been branded ‘unacceptable’ by Trump who last week made his feelings clear about the Ayatollah’s son.

Trump said somewhat sarcastically that ‘at some point they’ll be calling me to ask who I’d like’ to replace the Ayatollah.

Khamenei, excluded from a list of three senior clerics his father reportedly identified last year, was on Sunday announced as the Ayatollah’s successor after being appointed by the regime’s 88-person assembly.

The leader has strong links to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and was chosen by Iran’s Assembly of Experts ‘under pressure from the Revolutionary Guards’, according to Iranian media.

The US-Israel war with Iran has entered its tenth day with mayhem continuing across the Middle East since the fighting began last month.

If you’re just joining us, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a plan to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help oil and gas supplies flow through the passage once again

The US Navy has reportedly attacked an Iranian warship and two other vessels in the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, oil prices are surging worldwide as global markets slid today and Donald Trump has declared he and Benjamin Netanyahu will make a ‘mutual’ decision on when to end the war.

Here are the key developments on Monday afternoon.

• France has announced plans to deploy eight warships to the Middle East in a ‘purely defensive’ mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
• An Iranian warship and two other vessels have reportedly been attacked by the US Navy during airstrikes on the port city of Bandar Abbas
• NATO have shot down a second Iranian missile in Turkish airspace
• Oil prices rise to above $100 a barrel for first time in four years as global markets slid at the start of trading
• Donald Trump says he and Benjamin Netanyahu will make ‘mutual’ decision on when to end Iran war
• Vladimir Putin offers ‘unwavering support’ to Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei
• Bahrain’s only oil refinery has been struck by an Iranian missile as Tehran targets energy installations across the Gulf
• The UAE confirmed two members of its armed forces were killed in a helicopter crash when the aircraft malfunctioned during the defence against Iranian drones
• Pete Hegseth, the US Defense Secretary, last night guaranteed Iran will ‘surrender’ and President Donald Trump will set the terms of their defeat
• Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, was selected by the country’s Assembly of Experts to succeed his father
• Iranian state television has reported Khamenei is ‘wounded’ but did not elaborate on how the injuries were caused
• The US has identified the seventh solider killed during Operation Epic Fury

The US and Israel launched their first attack on Iran nine days ago, prompting an onslaught of retaliation from the region.

As a a result, at 1,700 people are confirmed to have died as a result of the conflict.

At least 1,205 civilians have been killed in Iran according to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), including 194 children and 187 military personnel.

486 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel began bombing the country last week.

Several dozen more have been killed by strikes in Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, the UAE. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has backed his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun and joined the fight to disarm Hezbollah.

In a video conference, the new leader said: ‘We stand alongside Lebanese president Joseph Aoun in disarming Hezbollah.

‘We have reinforced our defensive forces along the border as a precaution to prevent the repercussions of the conflict from spilling over onto Syrian territory, and to combat cross-border organizations and prevent them from using Syrian soil.’

It comes after Aoun claimed Hezbollah’s move to launch rockets towards Israel showed its desire to ‘collapse’ the Lebanese state.

Syria has been attempting to distance itself from the Iran War, but has reported debris falling over its territory in recent days.

Iran has a new Supreme Leader, and he’s already reportedly been marked for assassination.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was announced as his successor on Sunday, March 8, after being appointed by the regime’s 88-member Assembly of Experts – despite previous opposition from his father.

Khamenei, who has been nicknamed ‘The Butcher’, is said to be even more brutal than his father and was believed to be the shadow hand behind the brutal crackdown following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been talking to the Commons about the impact of the Iran War on the economy.

In her speech, she promised extra cash for the Military of Defence as the conflict continues to escalate – and insisted this would not lead to future cuts elsewhere.

She said: ‘I am proud to be the chancellor that is delivering the biggest uplift in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, and I am committed to giving our military the resources that they need.

‘That is why I can confirm today that I approved access for the Ministry of Defence to the special reserve to deploy additional capabilities in the Middle East.

‘Meaning that no net additional costs of these operations will be funded by the MoD, but instead will be funded by the Treasury.’

The White House took to X on Monday morning with a video of President Trump cut with several clips of United States Armed Forces bomber planes and war ships.

‘This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the STRENGTH and MIGHT of the United States Armed Forces,’ it posted.

The national average gas price in the US today is at $3.47 per gallon, according to AAA.

Yesterday, the average was $3.45, and one week ago it was $2.99.

Donald Trump announced he will hold an evening press conference today.

‘Many important meetings and phone calls taking place today while I am at Trump National Doral, in Miami,’ he wrote on Truth Social.

‘Additionally, I will be going to Speaker Mike Johnson’s (who is doing a fantastic job!) fundraising event, at 4[pm ET], and then, prior to leaving for DC, I will hold a News Conference from a Doral Ballroom at approximately 5.30pm.’

Rachel Reeves has indicated inflation could rise due to the conflict in Iran, as she said the British economy was strong enough to withstand shocks.

The Chancellor told MPs: ‘I am clear eyed about my response to the current situation. My economic approach will both be responsive to a changing world and responsible in the national interest.

‘The economic impact of the situation in the Middle East will depend, of course, on its severity and its duration. The movements that we have already seen are likely to put upward pressure on inflation in the coming months.’

Ms Reeves said she ‘stands ready’ to support a coordinated release of oil reserves held by the International Energy Agency. She had spoken with finance ministers from the G7 earlier on Monday.

She added: ‘I want to ensure the country that the fundamentals of Britain’s economy are strong. Every step that I have taken since the election has built our national resilience.

‘Stability in the public finances, investment in infrastructure in both defence and energy security, and reform to our economy.’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country does not want to harm ordinary Americans.

‘Iran does not want to harm ordinary Americans who overwhelmingly voted to end involvement in costly foreign wars,’ he wrote on X.

‘Blame for surging gas prices, costlier mortgages, and pummeled 401(k)’s lies squarely with Israel and its dupes in Washington.’

by David Wilcock

Keir Starmer handed Emmanuel Macron and the EU a rare gift today: a platform to look big on the international military stage.

Normally overshadowed by the NATO alliance, the bloc has capitalised after the Prime Minister gambled that Cyprus would be spared an attack by Iran – and lost.

A Royal Navy warship could have been in the eastern Mediterranean flying the flag before last Sunday’s attack on RAF Akrotiri that left a U2 spy plane hangar damaged and spooked locals.

But Starmer decided to wait and see, which is far cheaper and likely to make Rachel Reeves happy.

He was caught out, leaving the Cypriot president to appeal to EU allies for help in what should be the UK’s back yard.

The result was Macron today getting a hug from the Cypriot president and swaggering and boasting that France and others – Italy, Spain and the Netherlands – would step in with a multinational armada to do what the UK could or would not.

The president then rubbed it in, saying France is also planning to send warships to the Gulf to protect oil tankers.

In total, Macron said France would deploy up to a dozen vessels, more than the UK can currently put to sea at all.

This all helps Macron, who faces a presidential election challenge from the far right next year, look strong.

At the same time, Sir Keir was having a cup of tea in a London community centre and talking about the cost of living – perhaps a shrewd move ahead of local elections in May and with the oil price spiking.

But it comes less than a year after he claimed ‘Britain is back on the world stage’.

While blame for the state of the Royal Navy, with barely any surface vessels or submarines fit to sail, is shared by many parties, it is undeniable that Britain looks far from back today.