February 28, 2026: Iran Acknowledges Death of Ayatollah, Did Saudi Lobby For Attack, More
episodePreviously titled “Iran Acknowledges Death of Ayatollah, Did Saudi Lobby For Attack, More” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 2, 2026
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News when you want it with Bloomberg News Now. I'm Dan Schwartzman. According to reports, both Israel and Saudi Arabia lobbied for President Trump to launch strikes against Iran. That's according to The Washington Post. Despite Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman publicly calling for a diplomatic solution to the Iran-U.S. crisis, the prince reportedly made multiple phone calls to Trump over the past month advocating for an attack. Just recently, the Saudis had said that their airspace or territory would not be used in an attack on Iran after the prince spoke with Iran's president. Iranian state media confirming that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in Israeli and U.S. airstrikes hours after President Trump announced on social media that Khamenei was dead.
Israel also says key military commanders were also killed, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Mohammad Pakpour. Former National Security Advisor and Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton joined Bloomberg this weekend and gave his thoughts on what Iran's new government may look like.
I think the most likely near-term outcome of the fall of the Ayatollahs and the Revolutionary Guard will be a military government, a secular military government, not the Revolutionary Guard, but the conventional military that will hopefully then allow the Iranian people to have some kind of constitutional process to decide on what they want their new government to look like.
That's former National Security Advisor and Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton earlier on Bloomberg this weekend. President Trump also saying on Truth Social that quote heavy and pinpoint bombing however will continue uninterrupted throughout the week or as long as necessary. Iranian media has reported that 201 people have been killed, with close to 750 wounded. Meanwhile, Iran retaliating throughout the day, firing ballistic missiles across the Mideast at U.S. targets in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, while also firing a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel. There has been mixed reaction across the globe with Canada and Australia expressing support for the attack, while Russia called the strikes unprovoked aggression, with China saying it's highly concerned while calling for a stop to the assault.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to see the violence end.
It is vital that we prevent further escalation and return to a diplomatic process. We want to see peace and security and the protection of civilian life Iran can end this now. They should refrain from further strikes, give up their weapons programs and cease the appalling violence and repression against the Iranian people.
That's British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Oil shipping has largely been paused in the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran. Iranian media says the waterway is, quote, practically closed. Ships have reported hearing a radio broadcast purported to come from the Iranian Navy that announces that transit through the waterway has been banned.
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