Today, Jamil, Les, and Andy take stock of the war with Iran as the conflict enters its second week. Tehran has continued missile and drone attacks across the region, including strikes toward Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, even as Iran’s president publicly apologized for some of the attacks. Meanwhile, Israel struck major fuel infrastructure inside Iran, and reports indicate the regime has selected Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah, as the country’s new Supreme Leader, raising questions about a potentially more hardline and hereditary turn in Iran’s leadership.

What does the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei mean for the future of the Iranian regime and its relationship with the United States? Is this a moment Washington could use to pressure the regime as its command-and-control structure shows signs of strain? And with conflicting statements emerging from Iran’s political and military leadership, are we witnessing the fog of war or deeper fractures within the regime itself?

Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.

Check out these sources that helped shape our Fellows’ discussion: 

https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/irans-foreign-minister-rejects-calls-ceasefire-continue-fighting-rcna262291

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/07/offer-from-irans-president-to-not-attack-neighbours-provokes-internal-backlash

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/world/middleeast/israel-iran-oil-strikes.html?unlocked_article_code=1.RlA.7y5K.rylKW2rO5YJs&smid=nytcore-ios-share 

@jamil_n_jaffer

@lestermunson

@andykeiser

@WashingtonFlack

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