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TRANSCRIPT
The Middle East conflict is entering a new phase.
Iran has appointed a new Supreme Leader just days after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes of the war with Israel and the United States.
State television announced that his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been selected by the powerful Assembly of Experts to lead the Islamic Republic.
The announcement was broadcast overnight on state television in Tehran.
“This Assembly, after thorough and extensive deliberations and by utilising the authority granted under Article 108 of the Constitution, and in accordance with its religious duty and belief in being present before Almighty God, ... in today’s extraordinary session, based on the decisive vote of the esteemed members of the Assembly of Experts, appoints and introduces Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei—may God preserve him—as the third Leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The position gives Mojtaba Khamenei the final say on all matters of state, including Iran’s military and nuclear programmes.
Supporters in Tehran say the leadership decision brings certainty after days of turmoil following the death of his father.
One resident says people had been waiting anxiously for clarity.
“After an entire week of waiting, and of course the shock of the passing of Ayatollah Khamenei inflicted on the society, we are very glad that now the leader has been selected. Now we are sure that the path will continue with his leadership.”
But the announcement comes as the fighting across the region intensifies.
Israel says it has carried out one of its most significant strikes yet inside Iran.
The Israeli military says it destroyed the Revolutionary Guard’s aerospace headquarters in Tehran, a facility it says coordinated missile and drone attacks.
Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin says the strike was designed to cripple Iran’s ability to attack Israel and its allies.
“In a powerful strike we destroyed the air force headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards. The regime managed the missile fire and the UAV attacks toward the rear of the State of Israel and the countries of the region from the headquarters that was destroyed."
The Israeli military says it struck more than 140 targets in Iran in the past day.
Iran, for its part, says it is prepared for a long war.
A spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says Tehran has built up enough missiles and weapons to sustain months of fighting.
Ali Mohammad Naini says the country is ready for an extended conflict.
“Our capable armed forces – the powerful forces of the Islamic Republic – are fully prepared to sustain at least a six-month, full-scale high-intensity war at the current pace.”
As the fighting spreads, regional leaders are urging restraint.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani says Iran’s decision to strike Gulf countries early in the conflict has deeply damaged trust.
But he says diplomacy must still be pursued.
“It is a big sense of betrayal. This is the second time. That's why it's also like, for us, it's been something really significant to see the attack, which was showing that being preplanned, like once the war started, just maybe an hour after the start of the war, Qatar and other Gulf countries being attacked right away.”
European leaders are also voicing concern.
Switzerland’s defence minister says the U-S and Israeli strikes may breach international law.
And the Vatican is urging an immediate halt to the bombing.
Pope Leo has warned the violence risks spreading further across the region.
He prayed for an end to the bombs.
"We humbly lift our prayer to the Lord, that the roar of bombs may cease, that weapons may fall silent, and that a space for dialogue may open up to hear the voice of the people. I entrust this plea to Mary, Queen of Peace. May she intercede for those who suffer because of war, and may she accompany hearts along paths of reconciliation and hope."
Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll is mounting.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in Lebanon as Israeli strikes and Hezbollah rocket fire intensify along the border.
Several governments are preparing evacuations, with Australia advising the families of diplomats in the United Arab Emirates to leave as a precaution.
The conflict is also disrupting international travel, forcing airlines to cancel or reroute flights across parts of the Middle East.
Oil prices have climbed above 100 US dollars a barrel, amid fears the fighting could threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s oil supply.
Australia’s competition regulator says it is monitoring petrol prices closely.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud says there is a role for federal government to consider legislative measures to reduce the impacts felt in Australia.
"Whether there is a legislative fix then we are open to working with the government (to ensure minimum domestic supply). But they should in the first instance, be working with four big fuel companies to make sure that supply is unlocked for those second tier wholesalers because there is a serious impact on our farmers and regional communities now because it is all being held back for their retail outlets in the capital cities."
At the same time, the United States is signalling it may expand its military involvement.
President Donald Trump says he is considering sending ground troops into Iran to secure the country’s enriched uranium stockpiles.
The aim, he says, would be to prevent Tehran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"At some point, maybe we will. You know, that'd be a great thing. But right now, we're just decimating them. But we haven't, we haven't gone after it. But it's something we could do later on. We wouldn't, we wouldn't do it now. Maybe we do it later."
Another US service member has died from wounds sustained during Iran’s initial retaliatory strikes a week ago.
That brings the number of American troops killed in the conflict to seven.
Across the wider region, more than one thousand people in Iran, hundreds in Lebanon, and several in Israel have reportedly been killed since the war began.
And with a new Supreme Leader now in power in Tehran, military operations expanding across multiple countries, and diplomatic efforts struggling to catch up with events on the ground, there are growing fears the conflict could become a prolonged regional war.
