Balance of Power

Iran’s Regime Digs In Against Trump’s Demands

The Islamic Republic has defied the US president by picking a hardliner as the new supreme leader.
US President Donald Trump, center, salutes during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, on Saturday, March 7, 2026.Photographer: Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg

Welcome to Balance of Power, bringing you the latest in global politics. If you haven’t yet, sign up here .

There’s not much for Donald Trump to cheer as regards the war on Iran, with growing signs that he underestimated the Islamic Republic’s resilience.