Reuters World News A historic day in Iran: Ayatollah Khamenei is dead
14 snips
Mar 1, 2026 
Phil Stewart, Reuters national security reporter who explains Pentagon briefings. Erin Banco, Washington reporter covering U.S. intelligence and Iran scenarios. They discuss Khamenei’s death and the immediate power vacuum. They unpack why the U.S. and Israel launched ambitious strikes. They assess Iran’s ability to retaliate and the wider regional fallout.
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Power Vacuum After Khamenei Changes Everything
- Iran faces an immediate power vacuum after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death, creating uncertainty not seen since 1979.
- The supreme leader controlled military, judiciary, media and the IRGC, so replacement choices will shape continuity or change.
CIA Briefings Mapped Out Possible Successors
- The CIA briefed U.S. officials on possible successors, including an IRGC leader stepping in.
- Erin Banco explained U.S. expectations that a hardline figure would likely replace the supreme leader rather than an opposition actor.
Strikes Mark A Strategic Shift To High Risk Campaign
- The U.S.-led strikes represent a high-risk, high-reward shift from limited raids to an ambitious campaign against Iran.
- Phil Stewart reports planners weighed the potential for mass-casualty Iranian retaliation against geopolitical gains for President Trump.