Iran’s new supreme leader is ‘his father on steroids,’ experts warn of hardline rule

"Think of Mojtaba Khamenei as his father on steroids."

That is how Kasra Aarabi, director of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps research at the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, described Iran’s new supreme leader in comments to Fox News Digital following reports that the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been selected to lead the Islamic Republic.

"Mojtaba was already operating as a ‘mini supreme leader’ in the Bayt-e Rahbari — his father’s office and the core nucleus of power in the regime," Aarabi said.

IF KHAMENEI FALLS, WHO TAKES IRAN? STRIKES WILL EXPOSE POWER VACUUM — AND THE IRGC’S GRIP

"His father had created the Bayt’s extensive apparatus as a hidden power structure to ensure continuity should he be eliminated — and through Mojtaba’s appointment, this is exactly what we will get," Aarabi said.

President Donald Trump also reacted to Mojtaba Khamenei’s rise. In an interview with the New York Post, Trump said he was "not happy with" the younger Khamenei replacing his father as leader of Iran’s theocratic system but declined to elaborate on how the United States might respond. "Not going to tell you," Trump said when asked about his plans regarding the new supreme leader. "Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him."

An Iranian source with knowledge of the leadership transition told Fox News Digital that earlier speculation Mojtaba might pursue reforms now appears unlikely given the circumstances surrounding his appointment.

"Previously there were whispers suggesting that if Mojtaba were to become the leader, he might introduce reforms that would both open up the domestic political space and bring a more interactive approach to foreign policy," the source said.

"However, now this possibility seems very weak."

Mojtaba was chosen "amid disputes, controversies, and pressure from the IRGC," according to the source, meaning he "owes his appointment to their support and therefore cannot act against their wishes."

TRUMP SAYS IRAN’S SUCCESSION BENCH WIPED OUT AS ISRAELI STRIKE HITS LEADERSHIP DELIBERATIONS

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has spent decades building influence inside the power structures surrounding Iran’s supreme leader.

Born in 1969 in Mashhad, he pursued clerical studies in Tehran, Iran, after the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought his father to prominence. Over time, however, analysts say his influence developed less through traditional clerical authority and more through Iran’s security institutions.

In 2019, the United States sanctioned Mojtaba under Executive Order 13867. The U.S. Treasury Department said he had been "representing the supreme leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position aside from work in the office of his father."

Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Iran Program, said Mojtaba’s background reflects a broader shift inside the Islamic Republic.

"Despite donning a turban, Mojtaba is the product of the regime’s national security deep state," Ben Taleblu told Fox News Digital. "Expect him to work with and through the IRGC to keep his hold on power."

Aarabi said Mojtaba has spent years consolidating influence behind the scenes.

"His past tells us he enjoys micromanaging every aspect of authority to satisfy his thirst for power," Aarabi said, describing how Mojtaba allegedly relocated IRGC command centers to his office during protests, engineered election outcomes and installed loyalists across state institutions.

Since 2019, Aarabi added, Mojtaba has also been implementing what he described as his father’s effort to "purify" the regime by promoting ideological loyalists across the political system.

"Mojtaba is a deeply antisemitic, anti-American, and anti-Western ideologue," Aarabi said. "He has personally been involved in repression in Iran and terror plots abroad."

IRAN'S SENIOR CLERICS ‘EXPOSED’ AFTER BUILDING STRIKE IN QOM, SUCCESSION CHOICE LOOMS

Analysts say Mojtaba’s rise may further strengthen the role of Iran’s security institutions.

"The rise of the younger Khamenei expedites trendlines seen in Iranian politics and national security for years," Ben Taleblu said. "From one Khamenei to another, things in Iran can be expected to go from bad to worse if this regime survives."

"And like the elder Khamenei, corruption runs in the family," he added.

Ben Taleblu warned that the regime may also escalate tensions externally as a survival strategy.

"The regime knows it is weak, but believes it can extract a price and widen a crisis in order to survive," he said.

For opposition groups inside Iran, the leadership transition signals continuity rather than reform.

"He's the son of Khamenei and they have same ideology and they same strategy and they try to continue the same policy," said Khalid Azizi, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran.

"So far it's very difficult to say what he will be done and is he going to have a different policy? I don't expect this."

The Iranian source who spoke with Fox News Digital said that while engagement with the United States and the West is theoretically possible in the future, the chances remain slim.

"As I mentioned," the source said, "this possibility is very weak."

"In short," Aarabi said, "Mojtaba is his father on steroids. He’s certainly no MBS."

source https://www.foxnews.com/world/irans-new-supreme-leader-his-father-steroids-experts-warn-hardline-rule

Schumer once blocked Trump's move to fill the nation's oil reserves, now he wants them opened

The top Senate Democrat wants President Donald Trump to tap the nation’s oil stockpile as fuel prices skyrocket, years after blocking his attempt to replenish the supply when prices were low.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on Trump to unleash reserve barrels of oil from America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) as oil prices spike amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Schumer argued in a statement that the reserve "exists for moments exactly like this."

TRUMP’S ENERGY DOMINANCE REWRITES THE STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE AFTER BIDEN DRAWDOWNS

"When wars and global crises disrupt energy markets, the United States has the ability to act, but President Trump and his administration are refusing to do so," Schumer said. "Trump should release oil from the SPR now to stabilize markets, bring prices down, and stop the price shock that American families are already feeling thanks to his reckless war."

During his first term, Trump wanted to use about $3 billion from a colossal COVID-19 stimulus package making its way through Congress to fill the reserve, but the move was promptly rejected by Schumer and congressional Democrats, who panned it as a "bailout" for the oil industry.

The price per barrel at the time was roughly $29, according to WTI Crude Oil. Now, oil has eclipsed $110 per barrel over the weekend for the first time since 2022.

Though the SPR has capacity for over 700 million barrels of crude oil, the reserve currently has far less.

TANKERS TO RESUME NORMAL MOVEMENT IN MIDDLE EAST IN 'A FEW WEEKS' AT WORST, ENERGY SEC SAYS, ENDING OIL SURGE

That’s because under former President Joe Biden, it was tapped twice — once to relieve soaring fuel prices as the nation still grappled with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, and another time to combat increased energy costs at the onset of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

At the end of Biden’s term, the reserve had about 415 million barrels of crude on hand, according to data from the Department of Energy. Schumer supported both instances when Biden opened the nation’s oil reserves but, years prior, blocked Trump from building up the stockpile toward the end of his first term.

"Senator Schumer championed Joe Biden’s Green New Scam, which raised energy costs, threatened our national security, and stifled American energy independence," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital in a statement. "President Trump has been unleashing American energy dominance since day one, and now, American oil and gas production is at record highs." 

GAS PRICES COULD JUMP AS MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS THREATEN GLOBAL OIL SUPPLY

Schumer lauded Biden’s first move to tap into the SPR in 2021, arguing that it provided "much-needed temporary relief at the pump."

"Of course, the only long-term solution to rising gas prices is to continue our march to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels and create a robust green energy economy," he said at the time.

And toward the end of Biden's presidency, his administration did buy back barrels of oil to refill the reserves, which Schumer did not object to. 

Fast-forward, and the price per barrel of oil has launched into the stratosphere since Trump’s Operation Epic Fury and Iran’s response to put the Strait of Hormuz — a key route ferrying barrels around the globe — into a chokehold.

For now, the administration has no public plans to tap into the reserve as Americans undergo sticker shock at the pump.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright argued that the best way to lower prices was to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by neutralizing Iran’s ability to target oil tankers.

Wright told Fox News over the weekend that the disruption would last for "weeks, certainly not months."

"We believe this is a small price to pay to get to a world where energy prices will return back to where they were," Wright said. "Iran will finally be defanged, and now you can see more investment, more free flow of trade, and less ability to threaten energy supplies."

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/schumer-once-blocked-trumps-move-fill-nations-oil-reserves-now-he-wants-them-opened

Dolphins appear to find Tua Tagovailoa's replacement as free agency opens

The Miami Dolphins may have found their replacement for Tua Tagovailoa on Monday.

The team and free-agent quarterback Malik Willis agreed to a deal, according to multiple reports. Miami announced earlier in the day that it would part ways with Tagovailoa after six seasons.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Willis and the Dolphins agreed to a three-year, $67.5 million contract, NFL Network reported.

The former Liberty Flames standout will now have a great chance to become a full-time starter in the NFL four years after the Tennessee Titans selected him in the third round of the draft.

Willis’ time with the Titans didn’t exactly go to plan. He entered the organization as Ryan Tannehill’s backup and then needed to fight for his job with Will Levis. By the 2024 season, Willis had signed with the Green Bay Packers.

CHIEFS, SUPER BOWL MVP KENNETH WALKER III AGREE TO DEAL AS NFL FREE AGENCY BEGINS: REPORTS

He got to play in 11 games for the Packers and started three of them. He had 972 passing yards and six touchdown passes while he was with Green Bay. He served as the backup for Jordan Love, but received a few opportunities to play while Love was out with injuries.

Willis impressed with his performance on the field. He was 18-of-21 with 288 passing yards and three touchdowns as Green Bay fell to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17. He also had a touchdown pass and 121 passing yards in an overtime loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 16.

He will likely be in contention for the starting job since the team moved on from Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins selected Tagovailoa with the No. 5 pick of the 2020 draft. He threw for 18,166 yards and 120 touchdowns in those six years. Miami awarded Tagovailoa with a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension before the start of the 2024 season before cutting him.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/dolphins-appear-find-tua-tagovailoas-replacement-free-agency-opens

China-linked birth tourism under scrutiny as GOP lawmakers press Trump admin for answers

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are pressing the Trump administration for answers over whether China is exploiting U.S. birthright citizenship and visa programs in a U.S. territory to secure long-term influence inside the United States.

In a letter sent Monday to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., and 32 other GOP members raise concerns that so-called "birth tourism" and visa-waiver policies in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands could be leveraged by Chinese nationals in ways that present national security risks.

Noem will leave her position at Homeland Security at the end of the month.

"American citizenship is a sacred trust — not a loophole to be exploited," Roy said. "When foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party can leverage birth tourism and visa-less programs to gain influence within our borders, we must restore integrity to our immigration system and defend the sovereignty of our Republic." 

Tiffany argued that "Communist China has exploited ‘birth tourism’ by sending women to the Northern Mariana Islands solely to give birth and secure U.S. citizenship for their children," adding that "it is time to close this loophole, end the abuse, and protect our national security."

TRUMP SAYS SUPREME COURT RULING AGAINST BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER WOULD BENEFIT CHINA

The Northern Mariana Islands is a U.S. territory in the Pacific, and like births in any U.S. state, children born there are granted American citizenship under the 14th Amendment, even though the territory operates under certain distinct immigration rules.

The lawmakers cite reports estimating that between 750,000 and 1.5 million Chinese nationals have obtained U.S. citizenship through birthright policies and birth tourism, though federal agencies have not publicly confirmed those figures. 

In their letter, Roy and Tiffany ask the Departments of Homeland Security, State and Interior to provide data on how many children have been born since 2009 to at least one Chinese national parent, how many have reached voting age and how many are registered to vote in the United States. 

They also ask whether any such individuals have documented ties to the Chinese Communist Party and request entry figures for Chinese nationals under Northern Mariana-specific immigration programs. 

Under the 14th Amendment, individuals born on U.S. soil are generally granted citizenship at birth. The debate has centered on whether foreign nationals travel to the United States specifically to give birth so their children will obtain citizenship — a practice commonly referred to as birth tourism.

Federal prosecutors in recent years have brought criminal cases against operators of birth tourism businesses, particularly in California, where organizers were convicted of visa fraud and conspiracy for helping foreign nationals misrepresent their travel intentions in order to give birth in the United States.

The Northern Mariana Islands long have operated under distinct immigration frameworks. In 2009, the Obama administration implemented a categorical parole program allowing certain Chinese nationals to enter without obtaining a traditional U.S. tourist visa. The Biden administration in 2024 finalized a rule creating the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP) for the Northern Mariana Islands, which allows certain Chinese nationals to enter the territory visa-free for short stays.

The lawmakers argue those policies created incentives for birth tourism in Saipan, the capital of the islands, pointing to reports that births to foreign visitors increased sharply after the 2009 changes.

NOEM BACKS SAVE AMERICA ACT, SLAMS 'RADICAL LEFT' OPPOSITION TO VOTER IDS AND PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP

They warn that once U.S.-born children turn 21, they can petition for lawful permanent resident status for their parents, potentially opening additional immigration pathways.

While the letter raises concerns that such individuals could eventually participate in U.S. elections, it does not cite evidence that large numbers are currently registered to vote or that the Chinese government has directed birth tourism as a coordinated strategy.

The Departments of Homeland Security and Interior did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. The State Department referred back to Homeland Security. 

The letter comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing, with U.S. officials repeatedly warning about Chinese influence operations, intellectual property theft and espionage efforts targeting American institutions.

Roy and Tiffany urged the administration to end any parole or visa-waiver programs extended to Chinese nationals in the Northern Mariana Islands and to provide a full accounting of the scope of birth tourism involving Chinese nationals.

The Chinese embassy could not immediately be reached for comment. 

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/china-linked-birth-tourism-under-scrutiny-gop-lawmakers-press-trump-admin-answers

The unlikely tool Trump is eyeing to tackle rising oil prices amid the Iran conflict

The new battleground in the Gulf isn’t just on the water — it’s in the insurance market, where war-risk coverage can determine which oil tankers sail and which stay put.

With the conflict driving gasoline prices higher, the White House is weighing steps to keep oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz and to keep prices from climbing further.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman, carries roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day and about one-fifth of global supply of liquefied natural gas. When conflict flares in the region, even the threat of disruption can rattle markets because so much of the world’s energy moves through that single corridor.

WATCH SHIPPING THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ GRIND TO A HALT AMID IRAN CONFLICT

And with so much at stake, the White House is turning to an unlikely tool: insurance.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. could use a government-backed insurance program to lower war-risk premiums for vessels in the region. Under a backstop, the government would absorb part of any major losses, easing pressure on private insurers and shipowners.

Because when danger rises, the bill rises.

Insurers charge more to cover ships and cargo, shippers add "war-risk" surcharges and some vessels slow down, detour or pause altogether. Those delays can tighten supply and push crude prices higher even if oil production hasn’t changed.

Against that backdrop, the latest disruption, sparked by U.S.-Israeli strikes starting on Feb. 27 and retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks across the region, is forcing shippers and insurers to rethink whether it’s safe to transit the waterway. 

NEW SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW FIRES, NAVAL BASE DAMAGE ACROSS IRAN AFTER US-ISRAELI STRIKES

Some global insurers are already tightening terms. Maritime insurance titans Gard, Skuld, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club, have already canceled war-risk coverage, leaving voyages through Iranian and nearby waters without insurance.

Not all coverage is disappearing though. Lloyd’s of London, an insurance marketplace that brings together multiple insurers to cover large, high-risk voyages, said its vessels operating in the Gulf region have a combined hull value exceeding $25 billion. It added that coverage is still in place.

A Lloyd’s spokesperson told Reuters the market is in talks with U.S. officials about possible options. Separately, global insurance broker Marsh said it met with Trump administration representatives to discuss the idea.

Matt Smith, an analyst at Kpler, said coverage is a baseline requirement for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, but it doesn’t eliminate the risk. 

"It’s essential for all of these tankers to have insurance. You simply cannot pass through the Strait of Hormuz if you don’t have the insurance, given the high possibility of getting struck by a missile," Smith told Fox News Digital.

"But even with that insurance in place, it’s little comfort for those on the ship if there’s a chance the vessel is going to be attacked," he added.

With that calculus in mind, Maersk, widely regarded as a bellwether for global ocean freight, said it will suspend all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice and warned service to Arabian Gulf ports could be delayed.

When big shippers hit the brakes, the ripple effects can be felt fast. If oil becomes more expensive or slower to reach buyers, those increases can move through the supply chain and show up for Americans at the pump.

How much Americans feel at the pump will depend on how long the disruption lasts and whether shipping and insurance markets stabilize. Until then, the world’s most important energy chokepoint is likely to keep traders and drivers on edge.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/unlikely-tool-trump-eyeing-tackle-rising-oil-prices-amid-iran-conflict

ICE Arrests Slowed as Trump Backed Off After Minneapolis

The drop in arrests reflects a retreat, at least for now, from some of the administration’s most aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. March 7, 2026 at 11:07PM

Tennis players receive threatening messages, including photos of a gun, demanding they lose matches

Two women's tennis players were sent threatening messages, each receiving a photo of a gun and being ordered to lose matches.

Panna Udvardy and Lucrezia Stefanini detailed the disturbing messages in which they and their families were threatened.

"Last night around midnight I received several very disturbing messages on WhatsApp from an unknown number on my personal phone. The person told me that if I didn’t lose my match today, they would harm members of my family," Udvardy posted on Instagram, along with screenshots of the messages, regarding her match against Anhelina Kalinina at the Megasaray Hotels Open, which she lost in two sets.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM 

"They said they knew where my family lives, what cars they drive and that they had their phone numbers. They even sent photos of my family members and a picture of a gun."

The message Udvardy received said the culprit or culprits "know everything about your family and you" and were "ready for war if necessary, and we won't hesitate to send them to your mother's house to kidnap her until she returns the money we would lose because of your disobedience."

Udvardy said she contacted the Women's Tennis Association, and three additional police officers were sent to her match "which I’m extremely grateful for." Police also went to her parents and grandmother’s homes, she added.

MARTINA NAVRATILOVA CALLS TRUMP 'PSYCHOPATH' FOR IRAN STRIKES BUT SAYS KHAMENEI’S DEATH IS ‘GOOD NEWS’

The message Stefanini received was eerily similar.

"I received a WhatsApp message in which I was threatened over winning yesterday's match. They threatened me and my family and named my parents, the place where I was born, and they sent me a photo of a gun," Stefanini said in an Instagram post of her own. 

Stefanini, too, told the WTA about the situation, and she also received boosted security.

"I'm making this video and explaining what happened because I don't think it's right to put me under this pressure and unease before a match," Stefanini said.

Udvardy said the messages are "not normal."

"Even as athletes or public figures, it’s not acceptable to receive threats against our families, especially not on our private phone numbers and alongside disturbing images. We should not normalize abuse like this in sport."

Stefanini lost her Indian Wells qualifying match in three sets.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter

source https://www.foxnews.com/sports/tennis-players-receive-threatening-messages-photos-gun-demanding-lose-matches