Washington/Tehran – President Donald Trump has declared that he must be personally involved in selecting Iran’s next leader, asserting that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the slain supreme leader, is “unacceptable” to lead the country.
In an interview with Axios on Thursday, Trump drew a parallel to his administration’s involvement in Venezuela’s political transition.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said. “I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy (Rodriguez) in Venezuela.”
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has survived the US and Israeli airstrikes that killed his father six days ago, Iranian sources told Reuters on Wednesday, positioning him as a potential successor despite Trump’s objection.
War Toll Passes 1,230
Iran’s state-run Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs announced that the death toll from US and Israeli strikes has risen to 1,230 as of March 5, according to the official IRNA news agency. AFP was not in a position to independently verify the figure.
Among the deadliest incidents was a strike on a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab, which killed 165 schoolgirls and staff, most aged seven to 12, and wounded at least 95 others. On Thursday, Fars news agency reported that missiles struck two schools in the town of Parand, southwest of Tehran.
Iran’s Military Response
Iran’s military announced Thursday it had launched drone attacks against US military sites in Kuwait and Iraq.
“Drone units of the armed force’s navy targeted a site of the US forces Camp Udairi in Kuwait using combat drones,” the army said in a statement broadcast by state TV. Camp Buehring (formerly Udairi) is a major US military facility in northwestern Kuwait.
Separately, Iran said it attacked a US site in the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Erbil using ground forces’ attack drones.
Azerbaijan Vows Retaliation
The conflict expanded to the Caucasus on Thursday as Azerbaijan warned it was preparing unspecified response measures after two Iranian drones flew across its border and injured four people in the Nakhchivan exclave.
“These attacks will not remain unanswered,” the Azerbaijani defence ministry said. The ministry added it was investigating the types of drones used and preparing necessary response measures to protect territorial integrity and civilian safety.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied Tehran had targeted Nakhchivan. “We do not attack our neighbouring countries,” he told Azerbaijani outlet AnewZ.
Video footage verified by Reuters showed black smoke rising near Nakhchivan International Airport and damage to the skylight inside the terminal building.
Gulf States Under Fire
- UAE: The defence minister said one missile and six drones fell inside the country, and that air defenses had intercepted six ballistic missiles and 125 drones.
- Qatar: Multiple rounds of explosions echoed over Doha, with AFP journalists describing Thursday’s blasts as the most intense since the war began. Qatari Premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani accused Iran of seeking to “harm its neighbours and drag them into a war that is not theirs.”
- Saudi Arabia: Officials said they intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones near the city of Al-Kharj.
- Kuwait: A tanker was hit by a “large explosion” in waters off Kuwait, causing an oil spill, the UKMTO reported.
Russia Accuses US, Israel of Widening War
Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States and Israel of deliberately trying to draw Arab Gulf states into a wider conflagration.
“They deliberately provoked Iran into retaliatory strikes against targets in some Arab countries, which led to human and material losses,” the ministry said. “In doing so, they (Washington and Tel Aviv) are trying to drag the Arabs into a war for someone else’s interests.”
UK Sends Jets to Qatar
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that four additional Typhoon fighter jets would be sent to Qatar as the conflict escalates.
“We have the right plan for defence,” Starmer said, adding that Britain was deploying military and diplomatic strength to protect its people. The move comes after President Trump criticized Starmer for failing to provide sufficient support for the strikes on Iran.
Regional Fallout
- Sri Lanka: A second Iranian warship approached Sri Lankan waters, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 sailors.
- Diplomats in Riyadh: Some Western diplomats in the Saudi capital were told to shelter in place, and the diplomatic quarter was closed off.
- Israel: The military identified a fresh round of missiles launched from Iran and activated defensive systems.
- Lebanon: Israeli strikes hit Hezbollah command centers in Beirut, while a drone strike killed a senior Hamas official in a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli.
Economic Impact
The war continued to paralyze shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, choking off vital Middle East oil and gas flows. At least 200 vessels remain anchored off the coast, according to Reuters estimates. Commercial air traffic remained largely absent across much of the region, with major Gulf hubs including Dubai affected.
