Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran’s slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been named as his replacement. Israel has threatened to target any successor, and President Donald Trump said the new leader “is not going to last long” without his approval. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected calls for a ceasefire, telling NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Iran needs to “continue fighting for the sake of our people.” Araghchi declined to say whether Russia has been providing Iran with intelligence support, but he said the Russians are “helping us in many different directions.”
Hundreds of people have been killed across the Middle East as the conflict enters its second week. In Iran, at least 940 have been killed by Israeli and American strikes, Iranian state media reported, and 11 have died in Israel in retaliatory strikes. Israeli strikes have killed nearly 400 people in Lebanon. And at least seven American troops have died. Trump told reporters he believes Iran is behind the strike on an elementary school that killed at least 168 people, contradicting preliminary findings from his own administration that a U.S. munition was most likely responsible for the strike, according to sources.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., would not commit Sunday to block any additional funding for the war, saying on “Meet the Press” that Trump has so far failed to justify the war but that “we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
More news on the Iran conflict: – Camouflage and crudités: Trump wages war from Mar-a-Lago’s makeshift “situation room” while parties roar beyond the gold-plated doors. – Last ally standing: After a year of tariff threats, insults and diplomatic clashes with European allies, Trump is left to wage a war in Iran with only Israel by his side. – Iranian diaspora: While a free Iran is their shared dream, the mix of joy and anxiety in reactions to the war reflect the complicated emotions of members of the diaspora. – Price hikes: Oil continued its recent surge, hitting $100 per barrel for the first time since July 2022 as the ripple effects from the U.S. war on Iran continued to hit global markets.
Poll: Trump struggles on key issues as Democrats hold a midterm edge Majorities of registered voters disapprove of how President Donald Trump has handled the issues that defined the first months of a tumultuous midterm election year as Democrats maintain an advantage in the battle for control of Congress, according to a new national NBC News poll. Across five issues tested, voters give Trump their lowest marks on the economy, with 62% disapproving of his handling of inflation and the cost of living. He continues to receive stronger marks on border security but scored lower on immigration, on which 54% disapproved of his handling.
As both parties begin to nominate candidates for this year’s midterm elections, Democrats continue to hold an edge: 50…
[Context: The article discusses the naming of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new leader of Iran following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It also covers the ongoing conflict in the Middle East involving Iran, Israel, and the U.S.]
[Fact Check: It is important to verify information from credible sources regarding casualties and attributing responsibility for attacks in conflicts.]
