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Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Killed; What Americans Think; What Tucker, Other MAGA Leaders Think

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By USA Today. President Donald Trump announced on Feb. 28 that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint strikes on Iran.

The president’s declaration came about an hour or so after an Israeli source confirmed Khamenei’s death to USA TODAY. Reuters and CNN had also reported that Khamenei had been killed during the U.S. and Israel joint operation on Feb. 28.

“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS.”

“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” Trump added

Iran’s Foreign Ministry, however, has continued to insist that Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are “safe and sound.” (Read more from “Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Killed, Trump says” HERE)

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Only 21% of Americans support the United States initiating an attack on Iran

By The Seattle Times. The public’s appetite for a U.S. attack on Iran was low before President Donald Trump and Israel took action Saturday.

Most Americans said they were either opposed to such action (49%) or were not sure (30%), according to a University of Maryland poll taken two weeks ago.

Among Republicans, there were reservations, with 40% in favor of a strike, 25% opposed and 35% who said they did not know. (Read more from “Only 21% of Americans support the United States initiating an attack on Iran” HERE)

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Airstrike horror as ’85 schoolgirls are killed in Iran’ and Trump’s base turns on ‘evil’ war

By The Daily Mail. At least 85 people have been killed in an airstrike on an elementary school in southern Iran, the government in Tehran claims.

The majority of the dead are schoolgirls aged between seven and 12, according to the regime-controlled news outlets Tasnim and Fars.

Missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in the the city of Minab, in Hormozgan province, on Saturday morning as the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

Sources inside Iran told the Daily Mail that reports from the regime should be viewed with skepticism as a propaganda offensive is being waged under the fog of war.

A teacher at the school told the London-based outlet Middle East Eye that she saw bodies on classroom benches. She had stepped out when she heard the blast and returned to find carnage. (Read more from “Airstrike horror as ’85 schoolgirls are killed in Iran’ and Trump’s base turns on ‘evil’ war” HERE)

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Tucker, Other MAGA Leaders Strongly Opposed to War

By Iker Seisdedos. This Saturday, Trump stated that Washington had launched, in alliance with Israel, a massive attack against Iran with the aim of forcing a regime change in that country. This not only breaks his repeated campaign promises of not sending the United States into wars abroad; it also directly conflicts with the great MAGA slogan: America First. Does prioritizing the interests of the United States mean overthrowing the brutal dictatorship of the ayatollahs, who have been in power since 1979?

The answer is no, according to former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG), who was once one of the president’s most loyal allies in the Capitol until her fall from grace and subsequent resignation from politics, as she had moved to the uncomfortable side of those opposing Trump. MTG wrote on X: “The Trump admin actually asked in a poll how many casualties voters were willing to accept in a war with Iran??? How about ZERO you bunch of sick f**king liars. We voted for America First and ZERO wars.”

In another message, the former representative from Georgia shared a video of a school that was attacked during the early morning bombings, where, according to Iranian authorities, dozens of people died, many of them girls. She accompanied it with this text: “I did not vote for this, in elections or Congress. This is heartbreaking and tragic. And how many more innocent will die? What about our own military? This is not what we thought MAGA was supposed to be. Shame!” With these messages, MTG, who announced this week “the end of MAGA” if Trump decided to attack Iran, summarized the rift that has opened for Trump among his most loyal supporters.

. . . Tucker Carlson, who, shortly after learning of it, described the military operation to ABC News as “absolutely disgusting and evil.” Carlson, whose ties to Qatar are well known, also said it would “shuffle the deck” of the MAGA movement “in a profound way.”

Whether the far-right influencer is right will depend on the consequences of Saturday’s strike. Or whether all of this ultimately serves to prove the ability of Trump’s loyalists to adapt to rules that for some time now can be summed up in a single principle: whatever the leader says. (Read more from this story HERE)

Trump Makes Sobering Admission About Iran Negotiations, Talks About Chances of Drawn-Out Middle East War if He Attacks

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President Trump said Friday that he’s “not happy” about the progress of talks with Iran — while telling reporters that “there’s always a risk” that US airstrikes could result in another drawn-out war in the Middle East.

“I’m not happy with the fact that they’re not willing to give us what we have to have. I’m not thrilled with that. We’ll see what happens,” Trump said — one day after Iranian diplomats rebuffed his demands to give up their nuclear program during talks in Geneva.

“We are talking later. We’ll have some additional talks today. But no, I’m not happy with the way they are going.”

Trump insisted that “we haven’t made a final decision” on whether to follow through with threatened strikes following a massive buildup of American naval and air assets within striking distance of Iran.

“We’re not exactly happy with the way they’re negotiating. They cannot have nuclear weapons,” he reiterated.

A reporter then asked Trump if there was “a risk that strikes could turn into a long, drawn-out conflict in the Middle East.” (Read more from “Trump Makes Sobering Admission About Iran Negotiations, Talks About Chances of Drawn-Out Middle East War if He Attacks” HERE)

US Inches Toward War With Iran as Trump Says Tehran ‘Can’t Say the Sacred Phrase’

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The nation inched closer to war with Iran Tuesday as President Trump signaled Tehran isn’t playing ball with his demands to abandon all nuclear enrichment.

Trump claimed to network news anchors over lunch that Iran “desperately wants a deal” — but “can’t say” it despite the president’s massive naval firepower assembled offshore.

“Iran desperately wants a deal. But Iran just can’t say the sacred phrase ‘we won’t build nuclear weapons,’” Trump said at the traditional pre-State of the Union lunch, Fox News anchor Bret Baier reported.

Trump told media bigwigs, however, that there would be “important negotiations Thursday in Geneva.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, meanwhile, briefed eight senior members of Congress Tuesday afternoon on possible attacks. (Read more from “US Inches Toward War With Iran as Trump Says Tehran ‘Can’t Say the Sacred Phrase’” HERE)

Report: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Warns Trump of Deep and Serious Risks If U.S. Strikes Iran

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As President Donald Trump considers whether and how to conduct military strikes against Iran ahead of another round of talks in Geneva, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine has advised the president and senior officials that such action could carry significant risks, including the possibility of a prolonged conflict, according to Axios.

Axios reported that Gen. Caine has advised Trump and top members of his national security team that a military campaign against Iran could carry serious consequences, including the possibility of the United States becoming entangled in a prolonged conflict. The account was based on conversations with five sources who either attended or were briefed on high-level internal meetings.

According to Axios, Caine has not advocated for a strike but would execute any decision the president ultimately makes. One source described him as a “reluctant warrior” in discussions about Iran, contrasting his posture with his support for the operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. While Caine was described as fully supportive of the Venezuela operation, two sources told Axios he has been more cautious regarding Iran because he views the stakes as higher and the risks of entanglement and American casualties as greater.

Another source with direct knowledge of Caine’s thinking told Axios that the chairman is not opposed to a military campaign but is “clear-eyed and realistic” about the likelihood of success and what could unfold once a conflict begins. A senior official pushed back on suggestions that Caine had voiced skepticism.

Joint Staff spokesman Joe Holstead told Axios that, in his advisory capacity, the chairman presents “a range of military options” along with “secondary considerations and associated impacts and risks,” and does so confidentially. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly remarked in a written statement that Caine is a “talented and highly-valued” member of Trump’s national security team and that the president hears “a host of opinions” before deciding what he believes best protects U.S. national security. (Read more from “Report: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Warns Trump of Deep and Serious Risks If U.S. Strikes Iran” HERE)

Iran Has Promised Trump Its Oil Riches. It Could Be a Clever Ploy to Avoid War

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Iran has put something unprecedented on the negotiating table with the United States as it tries to avoid war and save its nuclear enrichment programme.

The Islamic Republic has offered Donald Trump access to the oil and gas wealth it has guarded from the US since the 1979 revolution.

The question is whether Tehran means it, or whether veteran Iranian diplomats are preparing to execute a sophisticated con game to pacify the US president.

The talks are aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions that have devastated its economy.

Mr Trump has warned Tehran that it has 10 to 15 days to make a “meaningful deal” with Washington, or face American air strikes. (Read more from “Iran Has Promised Trump Its Oil Riches. It Could Be a Clever Ploy to Avoid War” HERE)

Trump ‘Identifies Timeline for Strike on Iran’ as World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier Heads to the Middle East

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Donald Trump could make a decision on military strikes in Iran soon, with the US military ready to potentially launch an attack by this weekend.

American military assets have been building up in the Middle East in recent days ahead of a possible strike, CNN reported.

‘He is spending a lot of time thinking about this,’ a source told the network, adding that Trump has found himself arguing both in favor of and against the military action.

Trump has also spent the recent days taking informal polls of his aides and military advisors over what to do, but it remains unclear when the president will make the final call. . .

Earlier Wednesday, it was revealed the president is on the verge of greenlighting a ‘massive, weeks-long’ military campaign against Iran that would be seen as all out war. (Read more from “Trump ‘Identifies Timeline for Strike on Iran’ as World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier Heads to the Middle East” HERE)

Iran, US Agree on ‘Guiding Principles’ of Nuclear Deal, as Vance Says Dismantling Atomic Program Among ‘Red Lines’

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American and Iranian negotiators have hashed out “guiding principles” for an agreement during the second round of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, according to Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“We were able to reach a general agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will proceed from now on and move toward drafting a potential agreement,” Araghchi told state TV earlier from Geneva, where the talks were held.

“This does not mean that we can quickly reach a final agreement, but at least the path has begun.”

A US official agreed that “progress was made, but there are still a lot of details to discuss. The Iranians said they would come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions.”

Vice President JD Vance told Fox News Tuesday afternoon that “in some ways” the talks went well, “but in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.” (Read more from “Iran, US Agree on ‘Guiding Principles’ of Nuclear Deal, as Vance Says Dismantling Atomic Program Among ‘Red Lines’” HERE)

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Reports: Iran Crackdown Among Deadliest in Modern Times; 36,000+ Dead, Hospital Executions, Stuffed Alive in Body Bags

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A two-day crackdown that new reporting says killed as many as 36,500 Iranians — a death toll placing it among the deadliest short-term mass killings documented in modern history — followed an order by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to mercilessly crush nationwide protests “by any means necessary,” including accounts of wounded civilians executed inside hospitals, living victims stuffed in body bags, and a surgeon who described the scenes as a “nightmare” unlike anything he had seen.

A wave of major investigations published Sunday provides the clearest account yet of how the Islamic Republic responded after protests that began on December 28, initially sparked by merchant strikes in Tehran before spreading nationwide amid economic collapse and political repression.

Among the most chilling new revelations, The Media Line reports that Iranian security forces shoved wounded protesters — still alive — into body bags, transported them to forensic facilities, and executed those who showed signs of life.

The outlet cited testimony from the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, which documented the case of a young protester who survived by pretending to be dead inside a body bag, hearing gunshots as security forces executed wounded civilians who moved or moaned. The survivor remained motionless for three days, escaping only after families stormed the facility in search of loved ones.

A forensic medicine specialist in Tehran told the outlet that wounded protesters were piled atop one another in hospital corridors, transferred alive to morgues, and placed in body bags, describing brutality by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps so severe that many healthcare workers suffered psychological shock. Medical staff reported seeing bodies with oxygen tubes, ECG leads, and catheters still attached — evidence, they said, that patients were removed mid-treatment and left to die or executed. (Read more from “Reports: Iran Crackdown Among Deadliest in Modern Times; 36,000+ Dead, Hospital Executions, Stuffed Alive in Body Bags” HERE)

Iran Accused of Killing 16,500 in Sweeping ‘Genocide’ Crackdown, Report Says

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Iranian protesters are facing their deadliest days yet as security forces unleash mass killings and executions in a sweeping crackdown some have labeled “genocide,” new reports say.

According to The Sunday Times, a report compiled by doctors entrenched in the region and reviewed by the outlet, estimates that security forces have killed at least 16,500 protesters and injured more than 330,000 others.

The report also described the violence as an “utter slaughter,” warning that the true toll may be even higher due to restricted access to hospitals and the near-total shutdown of communications.

Most of the victims, the report says, are believed to be under the age of 30, underscoring the heavy toll on Iran’s younger generation as the regime intensifies its efforts to crush dissent.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged Sunday that “several thousands” have been killed since protests erupted Dec. 28. (Read more from “Iran Accused of Killing 16,500 in Sweeping ‘Genocide’ Crackdown, Report Says” HERE)

Trump and Netanyahu Discussed Iran in Second Phone Call

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President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone Thursday evening to discuss the situation in Iran, according to two sources with knowledge of the call.

Why it matters: It’s their second call in two days as Trump reviews his options for a possible military strike or diplomatic negotiations with an Iranian regime rocked by widespread protest and upheaval.

The White House and the prime minister’s office declined to comment.

Driving the news: During their first call on Wednesday, Netanyahu asked Trump to hold off on military action against Iran to give Israel more time to prepare for potential Iranian retaliation.

It was one of the reasons Trump decided to delay orders for the U.S. military to move forward with a strike against Iran. (Read more from “Trump and Netanyahu Discussed Iran in Second Phone Call” HERE)

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