- Iranians to bid farewell to Khamenei in three-day ceremony: State media
- Center East battle provides to central financial institution complications as oil extends four-day rally
- First tanker headed for Europe U-turns to Asia as pure fuel costs spike
- Khamenei’s son seen as frontrunner to be Iran’s new supreme chief: New York Instances
- White Home to fulfill protection contractors as Iran strikes pressure U.S. weapon provides: Reuters
- U.S. diplomatic websites face assaults throughout the Gulf
- U.S. says it destroyed 17 Iranian ships and ‘severely degraded’ Tehran’s air defenses
Iranians to bid farewell to Khamenei in three-day ceremony: State media
A mural of a younger Iranian fighter is seen alongside a billboard that includes a portrait of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on an overpass, on March 3, 2026 in Tehran, Iran.
Majid Saeedi | Getty Pictures Information | Getty Pictures
A ceremony for Iranians to bid farewell to the late Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will reportedly be held at 10 p.m. native time Wednesday.
Reuters, citing Iranian state media, stated the ceremony will final three days. Authorities will announce the funeral procession at a later date.
Khamenei served as Iran’s supreme chief from 1989 till he was killed over the weekend in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike.
— Lim Hui Jie
Center East battle provides to central financial institution complications as oil extends four-day rally
A widening Center East battle has posed a contemporary check for international central banks, as fears of an oil shock and renewed inflation dangers complicate policymakers’ calculus for shoring up development.
Brent crude costs prolonged 4 days of good points, rising 1.6% to $82.76 a barrel on Wednesday, hovering close to the best stage since January 2025. The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude costs additionally rose for a 3rd day to $75.48.
“The continuing Iran battle solidifies the case for a lot of central banks to carry charges regular for now,” a group of economists at Nomura stated.
Brent crude has risen by 36% to this point this yr, based on LSEG information whereas WTI futures had been 32% larger as of Wednesday.
WTI Crude (Apr′26)
First tanker headed for Europe U-turns to Asia as pure fuel costs spike
As international pure fuel costs surged, an LNG tanker sure for Europe reversed course and is now heading to Asia, based on information from analytics agency Kpler. This marks the primary instance of a ship diverting from Europe to Asia throughout the present worth spike, the agency stated.
European pure fuel costs have surged 66% this week after Qatar shut liquefied pure fuel manufacturing following Iranian strikes. The nation provides about 20% of the world’s LNG and is the second-largest exporter, behind the U.S.
Kpler famous that the tanker, BW Brussels, highlights a widening worth hole between areas as Asian consumers “compete extra aggressively for provide.”
“With Asian markets extremely uncovered to Qatari volumes and costs surging in each Asia and Europe, additional diversions for uncommitted cargoes are seemingly,” the agency added. That might add upward strain to Europe’s Title Switch Facility if consumers bid larger to retain shipments.
Whereas greater than half of Europe’s LNG imports come from the U.S., South Asia is very reliant on LNG from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The only export route for LNG from these two nations is thru the Strait of Hormuz.
In 2025, Pakistan sourced 99% of its LNG imports from Qatar and the UAE, whereas Bangladesh and India every obtained 59%, based on Kpler.
— Pippa Stevens
Khamenei’s son seen as frontrunner to be Iran’s new supreme chief: New York Instances
Iran’s senior clerics chargeable for deciding on the subsequent supreme chief are contemplating naming Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to the highest submit, the New York Instances reported Tuesday.
The clerics might announce the choice as quickly as Wednesday morning, though some members had expressed considerations that the U.S. and Israel would goal him, the Instances stated, citing three Iranian officers acquainted with the discussions.
— Anniek Bao
White Home to fulfill protection contractors as Iran strikes pressure U.S. weapon provides: Reuters
Executives from U.S. protection contractors are anticipated to fulfill officers on the White Home on Friday to debate rushing up weapons manufacturing after latest navy operations, Reuters reported, citing sources acquainted with the matter.
Representatives from main contractors equivalent to Lockheed Martin and RTX, the guardian firm of Raytheon, had been invited to attend the assembly, based on Reuters.
In the meantime, the Pentagon is getting ready a supplemental finances request of roughly $50 billion to replenish weapons utilized in latest conflicts, together with operations within the Center East. The proposal, which may very well be unveiled as quickly as Friday, remains to be preliminary and should change, Reuters reported, citing a supply.
The assembly comes as U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that the nation’s munitions stockpiles are sturdy, including that the US has a “nearly limitless provide” of “medium and higher medium grade” weapons. It was not instantly clear what weapon grades Trump was referring to.
— Lee Ying Shan
U.S. diplomatic websites face assaults throughout the Gulf
A number of U.S. diplomatic missions throughout the Gulf have come below assault in latest days, based on State Division cables reviewed by a supply and shared with MS NOW.
Dubai authorities stated Tuesday {that a} drone-related incident brought about a fireplace close to the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, which was rapidly contained. No accidents had been reported.
A drone struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, based on a Tuesday cable, although all personnel had been accounted for. Amid assaults from Iran and Iranian-backed teams focusing on the embassy, the State Division authorised departure for greater than 200 workers and members of the family.
In Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh sustained important harm from a drone assault Monday, knocking out communication companies. No accidents had been reported because the embassy had already been evacuated.
The State Division and the affected embassies haven’t but publicly commented on the incidents.
— Lee Ying Shan
U.S. says it destroyed 17 Iranian ships and ‘severely degraded’ Tehran’s air defenses
The United States Central Command stated it had destroyed 17 Iranian ships and almost 2,000 targets, and dealt a extreme blow to Tehran’s defenses.
“We’ve severely degraded Iran’s air defenses and destroyed lots of of Iran’s ballistic missiles, launchers and drones,” stated a senior U.S. admiral in a video posted on X.
— Lee Ying Shan
