
Global News Podcast Iran's new leader in defiant first message
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Mar 12, 2026 Lise Doucette, BBC chief international correspondent giving sharp political analysis. Asmina (Mina) Joshaghani, BBC Persian reporter sharing on-the-ground life in Tehran. They discuss a defiant message attributed to Iran’s new supreme leader and what it means for regional tensions. They also report on civilian fears, disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and market and public reactions abroad.
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New Supreme Leader Signals Hardline Continuity
- Mojtaba Khamenei's first message was read aloud on state TV, leaving his health and authorship unclear while signalling continuity with his father's hardline policies.
- The statement threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and urged opening unfamiliar fronts, aligning him with the Revolutionary Guards.
Guard Corps Influence Shaped Succession
- The new leader was chosen partly for close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, making him acceptable to hardliners who now effectively control decision-making.
- That connection explains the appointment despite public protests chanting against the Khamenei family.
Tehran Residents Describe Daily Fear Under Strikes
- Tehran residents describe constant fear from buzzing Israeli drones, powerfully interrupted internet and shortages of medicine and doctors.
- Checkpoints run by the Revolutionary Guards and Basij have turned streets into intimidation zones with arrests for sharing anti-regime videos.





