Iran's Supreme Leader Vows Expanded War; U.S. Eases Russian Oil Sanctions Amid Price Surge

In his first public statement since taking power, Iran's new Supreme Leader has pledged an unrelenting war against Western interests, threatening to open "new fronts" and close the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The rhetoric, issued on the 13th day of the conflict, coincides with a surge in global oil prices to $100 per barrel. In response to the economic pressure, the U.S. Treasury has issued a one-month license allowing the sale of certain Russian crude oil products to mitigate rising fuel costs, despite the complex optics for the Trump administration. On the ground, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated rapidly, with the U.N. reporting that 3.2 million people are now displaced within Iran. Military tensions are escalating beyond Iranian borders, as a drone strike recently targeted fuel tanks at an airport in Bahrain. Furthermore, the UK has alleged that Russia is providing technical assistance for Iranian drone strikes, citing the discovery of Russian components in a drone that hit RAF Akrotiri. Regionally, the conflict appears on the verge of widening as Houthi leadership in Yemen signals a potential direct entry into the war. The IRGC has issued a "chilling warning" that any strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure will result in retaliatory attacks on regional oil and gas facilities. At the UN Security Council, Iranian envoys continue to frame their actions as self-defense, accusing the U.S. and Israel of illegal aggression following strikes that began in late February.