The President's Daily Brief
The President's Daily Brief

Is Iran Being Run By An AI Supreme Leader? & Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Oil Hub

March 24, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Iran's new Supreme Leader, Moshtaba Khamani, has not made any confirmed public appearances two weeks after his selection following his father's death in a strike. State media has released only written statements read by anchors, alongside images that show signs of digital manipulation, including AI tools like Google's Synth ID and altered archival photos. Iranian officials claim he is alive and in control, possibly wounded in the initial attack, but no independent verification exists. US and Israeli intelligence confirm he is alive but lack evidence he is issuing orders, describing a potential command-and-control gap. Regime propaganda emphasizes continuity via voiceovers, billboards, and curated visuals, while public skepticism grows—critics call him the "cardboard Ayatollah," and online mockery circulates. Some embassies delay displaying his portrait. Despite this, Iran remains operational, conducting strikes and closing the Strait of Hormuz. Intelligence points to the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) possibly filling the leadership vacuum.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:52) **Iran's New Supreme Leader Missing Amid AI Propaganda**
  • 2 (07:28) **Houthis Stay Quiet as Saudi Arabia Blocks Escalation**
  • 3 (10:37) **Ukraine Drone Strikes on Russia's Primorsk Oil Terminal**
  • 4 (17:28) **US Worldwide Alert on Iran-Linked Threats**

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Show Notes

In this episode of The President’s Daily Brief:

  • First up—Iran’s new Supreme Leader remains out of sight, with no public appearances or verified statements, raising serious questions about who is actually in control. Reports suggest the regime may be relying on artificial intelligence and propaganda to project authority amid growing instability.


  • Later in the show—the Houthis have gone unusually quiet, as Saudi Arabia works behind the scenes to keep the Iran conflict from expanding further.


  • Plus—Ukraine launches a major drone strike on Russia’s largest oil export terminal, threatening to disrupt already fragile global energy markets.


  • And in today’s Back of the Brief—the U.S. issues a worldwide security alert, warning Americans that Iran-linked groups may be preparing to target U.S. interests abroad as the conflict widens.


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