The Story Iran's supreme leader killed - is the Middle East in all-out war?
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Mar 1, 2026 Sir Peter Westmacott, former British ambassador to the US and long-serving diplomat with deep Iran experience. He discusses coordinated US–Israel strikes and Iran’s wide retaliation. He unpacks Iran’s succession uncertainties and whether decapitation can reshape its theocratic system. He also examines legal, military and regional risks as conflict spreads across the Gulf.
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Iran's Wide Regional Retaliation
- Iran retaliated widely beyond Israel, striking Gulf states and hitting civilian infrastructure with kamikaze drones.
- Weiniger notes attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, plus missiles toward Cyprus and videos of a drone hitting a Dubai hotel.
Nuclear Talks Were Unlikely To Satisfy US Demands
- Talks in Vienna looked promising publicly but were unlikely to meet US demands on missiles, proxies and uranium.
- Weiniger says the US wanted limits beyond nuclear issues, red lines Iran had repeatedly refused to accept.
Interim Council Oversees Succession
- Iran activated an interim leadership council (president, judiciary head, Guardian Council jurist) to manage succession after Khamenei's death.
- Weiniger emphasizes uncertainty about who will be elected as the next supreme leader.