The Headlines Iran’s Next Supreme Leader, and the New Lucrative Pardon Industry for Rich Offenders
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Mar 9, 2026 
Kenneth P. Vogel, investigative reporter who covers money and politics, outlines a growing pardon-clemency industry for wealthy defendants and the networks that connect them to power. He walks through striking individual cases and the lobbying playbook. Short, sharp scenes explore how influence and paid intermediaries shape who gets clemency.
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Hereditary Succession Emerges In Iran
- Iran named Mujtaba Khamenei as supreme leader signaling a move toward hereditary continuity despite the 1979 revolution's anti-monarchy stance.
- The selection followed crisis consolidation after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's U.S.-linked killing and drew chants of opposition in Tehran and threats from Israel.
Attacks Threaten Critical Civilian Infrastructure
- U.S. and Israeli strikes hit hundreds of targets in Iran, including fuel depots, while desalination plants in Iran and Bahrain were attacked, risking civilian survival.
- Disruption threatened water supplies for dozens of villages and turned Tehran's sky dark with smoke from fuel depot strikes.
Conflict Sends Oil Prices Surging Past $100
- The Iran conflict pushed oil above $100 a barrel and raised U.S. gasoline prices 14% in a week, prompting officials to prioritize securing shipping routes.
- Secretary of Energy said normalcy could return in weeks, while President Trump framed military aims as worth higher fuel costs.