Iran Secretly Appoints New Leader Amid US-Israeli Strikes on Energy Infrastructure

Iran's Assembly of Experts has reportedly selected a successor to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following his death on February 28. The identity of the new Supreme Leader remains strictly confidential as a security measure against Israeli threats to target any potential successor. Simultaneously, the geopolitical situation has escalated significantly as US and Israeli forces launched unprecedented airstrikes on oil depots and refining facilities in Tehran. These strikes represent the first direct targeting of Iran's critical energy infrastructure, raising fears of a total disruption in regional oil supplies. Financial markets are reacting with extreme volatility, with Brent Crude and WTI prices surging alongside safe-haven assets like XAU/USD. Investors are bracing for further instability as the leadership vacuum and military escalation trigger a broad risk-off sentiment across global equity markets.