How does Iran choose its supreme leader, and who will be the next supreme leader?
File photo: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei speaks in Tehran on January 8, 2007.
Stringer Iran | Reuters
Khamenei’s death in a joint US-Israeli airstrike has forced Iran’s leadership into an urgent process to select a new supreme leader.
Under Iran’s constitution, the supreme leader is appointed by a council of experts. When a vacancy occurs in a position, a parliament is convened to deliberate and select a successor. Decisions require a simple majority vote.
In the interim, an interim three-member Leadership Council will assume the duties of the Supreme Leader until a successor is formally appointed.
On Sunday, local media reported that the temporary council is made up of President Massoud Pezeshkian, Attorney General Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, and the head of the Guardian Council, Mullah Alireza Alafi.
On Polymarket, traders are pegging Mohseni Ejei as a close favorite with around 18%. Other front-runners include Arafif and Iranian cleric Hassan Khomeini.
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—Li Yingshan
Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery attacked by drone: industry insider
Oil pipelines are installed on the quay facing the Arabian Sea at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery and oil terminal North Pier terminal in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, Monday, October 1, 2018. Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery was attacked by a drone, industry sources told CNBC.
The facility had been closed as a precautionary measure amid ongoing conflict in the region.
Officials said the small fire was extinguished and under control.
Saudi Aramco did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
— Emma Graham
European stocks fall
European stocks are expected to start the new trading week firmly in negative territory as global markets fall after the United States and Israel launched widespread attacks against Iran over the weekend.
The UK’s FTSE index is expected to open 0.6% lower, Germany’s DAX 1.5% lower, France’s CAC 40 1.4% lower and Italy’s FTSE MIB 1.2% lower, according to IG data.
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— Holly Ellyatt
AWS suffers outage after ‘object’ crashes into UAE data center
Amazon Web Services said Sunday it is working to repair the disruption it suffered after an unidentified “object” struck one of its data centers in the United Arab Emirates, causing a fire and a power outage.
This comes as the United Arab Emirates has become a target of Iranian retaliatory missile and drone attacks following last weekend’s attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel.
AWS said in its health dashboard that the issue caused continuous connectivity failures, but customers were able to reroute to unaffected zones.
AWS said in its latest update that the estimated time for power restoration is not yet known. The company said it is “investigating further connectivity issues and error rates in the ME-CENTRAL-1 region (UAE).”
— Dylan Butts
Explosions heard in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for 3rd day in a row
Loud explosions were heard in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for a third day. CNBC’s United Arab Emirates team said the explosion occurred just after 9 a.m. local time.
In a post to
Targeted locations include Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab hotel, Fairmont Hotel on the Palm, Jebel Ali Port, Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Towers, and international airports in both emirates.
— Emma Graham
Iranian security chief Ali Larijani refuses to talk with US, blames Trump for chaos
Iranian Security Chief Ali Larijani attends a ceremony by the Lebanese Shi’ite movement Hezbollah to mark the first anniversary of Israel’s assassination of longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah in the southern suburbs of Beirut on September 27, 2025.
Anwar Amro | AFP | Getty Images
Iranian Security Chief Ali Larijani said Iran has no plans to negotiate with the United States.
“We will not negotiate with the US,” a former adviser to the late supreme leader said in a post on X, denying reports that the US was seeking to restart negotiations.
“Trump has thrown the region into turmoil with ‘false hope’ and now fears further casualties of US troops,” he said in an earlier post.
— Li Yingshan
Kuwait reports drone interception as Iran continues retaliatory strikes
On February 11, 2026, an Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) “Shahed 136” was displayed at a rally commemorating the 47th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Azadi (Freedom) Square in western Tehran, Iran.
Null Photo | Null Photo | Getty Images
Kuwait’s civil defense chief announced on Monday that the country’s air defense force had successfully intercepted the majority of hostile Iranian drones approaching the border through sea routes.
Kuwaiti officials also confirmed that no injuries were reported from the interception operation, according to state media reports.
According to the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran launched a wave of drones and missiles at several Arab countries over the weekend, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.
Since then, countries such as Bahrain and the UAE have reported successfully intercepting hundreds of Iranian drones.
Officials in Bahria province said the attack involved an Iranian Shahed-136 drone. The drone is an inexpensive, domestically produced drone that functions like a guided missile to reach a predetermined target.
— Dylan Butts
UAE recalls ambassador and closes Tehran embassy after missile attack
The United Arab Emirates recalled Iran’s ambassador and closed its embassy in Tehran on Monday following missile attacks over the weekend that targeted civilian infrastructure, including Jebel Ali port and airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs also summoned the Iranian ambassador and handed over a memorandum of protest against what it called a “terrorist attack.”
Abu Dhabi downgraded its relations with Iran in 2016 following an attack on a Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran. Relations deteriorated further after the UAE joined the Abraham Accords in 2020.
But in recent years, relations have begun to improve. UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Tehran in 2021 in an unusual move aimed at strengthening ties.
It is estimated that around 500,000 Iranians live in the Emirates, many of them in Dubai. The emirate is home to an Iranian hospital, at least one Shiite mosque in Jumeirah, and a number of businesses selling Iranian products. Despite periodic diplomatic tensions, the two countries maintain an important trade relationship. Iran and the UAE are also at odds over three disputed islands in the Persian Gulf.
Saudi Arabia, which recently restored diplomatic relations with Iran in 2023 in a deal brokered by China, also condemned the attacks on the Gulf state and summoned its ambassador from Tehran.
— Emma Graham
US and Gulf states vow “self-defense” and issue joint warning to Iran
A group of Middle Eastern countries and the United States issued a joint statement Sunday night condemning Iran’s missile and drone attacks and affirming its right to self-defense.
“The Islamic Republic’s actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability. Targeting civilians and countries not taking part in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing behavior,” the statement said.
“We stand united in the defense of our people, sovereignty, and territory and reaffirm our right to self-defense in the face of these attacks. We remain committed to regional security and commend the effective air and missile defense cooperation that prevented far greater loss of life and destruction.”
— Anique Bao
Marco Rubio to brief Congressional leaders as Iran conflict escalates
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to provide an update to top leaders in the House and Senate at 4pm ET on Monday.
This comes against a backdrop of coordinated attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel, and Iranian retaliation targeting American military bases in the region, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
— Li Yingshan
Israeli military retaliates against Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah
The Israel Defense Forces said it was retaliating against the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah for targeting Israeli civilians.
“In response to projectile fire in northern Israel, the Israel Defense Forces are attacking Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement published in X.
“Hezbollah is acting on behalf of the Iranian regime, firing on Israeli civilians and wreaking havoc on Lebanon. IDF units are preparing for such scenarios as part of Operation Roaring Lion and are prepared for all-front scenarios,” the statement said.
In 2024, the Israel Defense Forces killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who led the Iran-backed extremist group for more than 30 years.
— Vinay Dwivedi
Britain allows US to use base for Iranian missile attack after ‘scorched earth’ policy
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks in response to the incident at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, 10 Downing Street, London, UK, October 2, 2025.
James Manning via Reuter
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a speech posted on X on Sunday that Britain had allowed the US to use military bases in the Middle East to destroy Iranian missiles and missile launchers.
Starmer framed his decision as one of self-defense.
The Prime Minister said the move follows Iranian attacks across the region that have harmed Britain’s interests, people and allies, even though the UK was not involved in the initial attack on Iran by the US and Israel.
“We all remember the mistakes of Iraq and we have all learned the lessons,” Starmer said. “We were not involved in the initial attack on Iran, and we will not participate in any future offensive actions,” he said.
“However, Iran is pursuing a scorched-earth strategy,” he added. “That is why we are supporting the collective self-defense of our allies and peoples in the region, because that is our duty to the British people. It is the best way to eliminate the immediate threat and prevent the situation from worsening further.”
Against this background, he said the UK’s decision to allow the US to use the base was consistent with international law.
—Greg Iakursi
