A member of the Assembly of Experts, the body that selects Iran’s supreme leader, said the panel has reached a “firm” and “almost final” opinion on the next leader that reflects the majority view. Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri gave no name, saying members have worked hard but face “obstacles” amid “difficult circumstances.”
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued overnight into Sunday. Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported 22 people killed since midnight, most in southern Lebanon. In Beirut, a strike appearing to target an upscale hotel outside the evacuation zone killed three people and wounded nine; images show damaged rooms and blast effects in the capital.
Fires sparked by attacks on fuel reservoirs in Tehran on Saturday were still burning on Sunday. Officials say the large pools of flammable material cannot be extinguished immediately and must be managed while they burn. Tehran residents were warned about the risk of acid and toxic rain after the massive blaze. Iran’s Environmental Protection Agency said pollutants released by recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on fuel depots have raised respiratory health risks and advised people to avoid unnecessary outdoor activity.
The Red Crescent warned that explosions at fuel tanks released toxic compounds — including hydrocarbons and sulfur and nitrogen oxides — which could become highly dangerous and acidic if mixed with rain, potentially causing chemical skin burns and serious lung damage. Photos circulating show soot-covered rooftops and lingering smoke over refinery areas.
Iran’s Red Crescent Society reported widespread damage from recent airstrikes: at least 9,669 civilian sites affected, including 7,943 residential units, 32 medical and pharmaceutical centers, 65 schools and educational centers, and 1,617 commercial buildings.