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The President's Daily Brief
March 24th, 2026: Is Iran Being Run By An AI Supreme Leader? & Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Oil Hub
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It's Tuesday, the 24th of March. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Iran's new supreme Leader is still missing in action, with no public appearances and growing signs that the regime may be filling the gap. Artificial intelligence and propaganda. I'll have the details later in the show. Speaking of missing in action, the Houthis have been unusually quiet as Saudi Arabia works behind the scenes to keep them out of the Iran conflict, at least for now. Plus, Ukraine hits Russia's largest oil export terminal with a massive drone strike, further stressing, of course, the already fragile global energy markets. And in today's Back of the Brief, the US Issues a worldwide security alert warning Americans that Iran linked groups may be preparing to target U.S. interests. But first, today's PDP spotlight. It's been about two weeks since Iran announced the selection of its new supreme Leader. That, of course, would be Mojtab Al Khamenei. And since then, there's been one glaring issue. No one has actually seen or heard from him. No confirmed public appearances, no verified video, no verified audio. Instead, what we've seen so far are written statements attributed to Khamenei being delivered by news anchors on state television and perhaps even more striking imagery coming from the regime that appears to rely on outdated photos or digitally altered visuals, essentially constructing the image of a leader that the public still hasn't actually seen. According to new reporting from the Wall Street Journal, some of those images appear to have been modified using artificial intelligence, specifically Google's Synth ID tool, while others are built off older archival photos. Even his official profile imagery shows signs of digital manipulation. Now, to be clear, I'm not suggesting that the individual is dead. There are reports that Khamenei was wounded in the initial strike that killed his father. Iranian officials insist that he is alive and in control. Anything beyond that would be speculation, and that's something we try to avoid here on the pdb. But beyond those statements from the regime, there's no way to independently confirm his condition, his whereabouts, or whether or not he's in control. And it's not just the public asking those questions. According to Axios, US Intelligence and Israeli intelligence agencies are also trying to figure out what's actually going on. Officials say they have evidence that Khamenei is alive, but at the same time, they have no clear indication that he's actually giving orders. In fact, one U.S. official described the situation as a potential command and control problem. Inside the regime, speeches have been delivered by voiceover. Carefully curated images are pushed out across state media. Billboards and propaganda pieces are emphasizing continuity, showing him alongside his father and founders of the Islamic Republic. The message is clear from the regime. Nothing has changed. We're in control. But inside the country, not everyone is buying it. There's growing skepticism, and in some cases from the public, outright mockery. Critics have started referring to him as the, quote, cardboard Ayatollah. AI generated clips poking fun at his absence have circulated online. And even in official spaces, there are subtle signs of hesitation. Some embassies reportedly have been slow to hang portraits of the man, something that would normally be standard for a new supreme Leader. Regardless, the regime does appear to be still be functioning. Iran continues to carry out coordinated strikes across the region. Military operations do remain intact, and the command structure, at least on the surface, does appear to be holding. So, on one hand, you have a leader that no one can see. We're looking at a situation where leadership is being projected through voiceovers and AI enhanced imagery and carefully managed messages without the leader himself ever stepping into view. On the other hand, we have a regime that is still operational, creating havoc in the region through the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and continued missile and drone assaults on regional neighbors. Of course, one of the critical questions here is if the Supreme Leader isn't visible, isn't speaking, and may not be directly communicating with the public, then who is actually making the decisions? As we've discussed previously here on the pdb, there are growing indications that it could well be the Revolutionary Guard calling the shots. Axios reports that some intelligence assessments suggest the IRGC is increasingly filling the vacuum, effectively running the country while senior leadership remains out of sight. All right, coming up after the break, the Houthis remain quiet as Saudi Arabia tries to keep the Iran war from expanding and Ukraine cripples Russia's largest oil port in a strike that could further stress global energy supplies. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here with a message for dog lovers. Now, if you're like me, dogs are an important part of family life, right? We've got two ourselves. Our golden retriever, Hendrix, he's a good old boy, about 14 years old now. And Monty, our very cute but somewhat dim witted King Charles spaniel. As you probably know, when you're a dog lover, well, it comes to dog food, there's always seems to be a compromise. Now, you know what I'm talking about, right? It's either fresh and healthy, or it's easy to store and serve. But that's what I love about Sundays for Dogs. With the Sundays for Dogs brand, you get both fresh and healthy dog food that's easy to store and serve, right? 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Welcome back to the pdb. The war between the us Israel and Iran continues to evolve rapidly and we're monitoring a new concern taking shape just to the south, whether Yemen's Houthis will enter the fight and open another front. And across the region, there's a very deliberate effort underway to keep that from happening. Saudi Arabia is working quietly to preserve diplomatic channels, keeping communication lines open not just across the region, but directly with the Houthis themselves, while also engaging Iran through back channels in an effort to prevent Tehran from pulling another one of its proxies into the fight. If you're a regular listener of the President's Daily Brief, and I certainly hope you are, you know that the Houthis control territory along the Red Sea, one of the more critical shipping corridors in the world. At a moment when Iran has already constrained global energy routes via the Strait of Hormuz. So now the Red Sea isn't just seen as important, but as essential to keeping oil and gas and other, of course, products moving and prices somewhat stable. According to the Wall street journal, citing U.S. officials, there are warnings that Houthi involvement wouldn't just open another front, it would likely pull other players in Saudi Arabia, for example, could be drawn deeper into the conflict, likely in a militarily offensive role, rather than its current defensive role of intercepting Iranian missiles and drones. Additionally, Egypt would be suddenly exposed given its reliance on the Suez Canal. And now, of course, you're talking about a cascading effect across the region. So let's take a step back for just a second, because the Houthis aren't operating in a vacuum, of course. As I mentioned, they're part of Iran's broader proxy network, alongside, of course, Hamas and Hezbollah and other militias. Which means this isn't just a local decision. Tehran has influence and leverage here. And if the mullahs decide to widen this war drastically, well, Houthis would be the way to do it. The concerning part about all this is that the Houthis are not exactly hiding their intentions. A senior member of the terror group's political leadership has already said the decision to support Iran has effectively been made, warning that their finger is on the trigger, as they say, and that entering the war is only a matter of time. Their leader, Abdul Malik Al Houthi reinforced that message, stating the group supports Iran and is prepared for any potential military escalation if the situation calls for it. So naturally, the next question is, if they're saying all this, why haven't they moved yet? Well, for one Riyadh's diplomacy effort also, the answer in part comes down to cost, because the Iran backed group has witnessed exactly what happens when the regime's proxies enter the fray, most notably with Israel. You may recall that when Hezbollah decided to first enter this conflict, the response from Israel was severe. Airstrikes, ground operations, and now roughly 600 Hezbollah fighters killed. With large parts of the terror group's leadership eliminated. If the Houthis enter the war, Yemen risks becoming a target in what would be renewed strikes and further strain on an already dire humanitarian situation. And that's the consequence that the group may not want to risk. Okay, turning our focus to the war in Ukraine, we're seeing Kyiv again take the fight deeper into Russia, going after the heart of the Kremlin's energy infrastructure with a strike on a critical Baltic Sea Oil hub that could further disrupt global markets. Now, at first glance, the details of another wave of Ukrainian drones striking inside Russian territory might sound like just another cross border strike. But this latest drone blitz targeted the port of Primorsk, which is Russia's largest oil export terminal, sitting about 60 miles from St. Petersburg. According to regional Russian officials there, Ukrainian drones hit fuel storage tanks, triggering massive fires. With both ground footage and satellite imagery showing thick smoke rising from multiple points across the crippled facility. So with the images and video reveal is a coordinated strike hitting several parts of the terminal at once and overwhelming defenses that, well, at least on paper, were supposed to be effective. You may be asking, why does this matter beyond immediate damage? Well, the answer is because Primorsk is one of the main arteries feeding the Kremlin's oil exports, which in turn bankroll its war chest. We're talking about a facility that moves at least a million barrels per day. And it's also tied into Russia's so called shadow fleet. Those sanction dodging tankers that the Kremlin relies on to keep oil flowing despite Western pressure. Now here's where this gets even more interesting. That's how the strike unfolded. Russian air defenses were active overnight Monday, with the governor of Leningrad saying that more than 70 drones were intercepted over the region. Now, that may sound like a success, but some obviously got through, and not just randomly. The drones appear to have struck with precision, hitting multiple areas of the terminal and setting off fires across critical infrastructure in what port officials themselves describe as a blow to operations. And this wasn't the first time Ukraine has hit this target. Longtime PDB listeners may recall that Primorsk was struck back in September, disrupting oil loading operations. So what you're seeing now is Kyiv steadily building pressure on one of Russia's most important export corridors. Kyiv also took a swing over the weekend at nearby Oga Port, forcing a temporary halt in oil operations, though it's unclear at this point how much real damage was done there. Hours after that, a refinery in southwestern Russia was also hit. And in the days leading up to all of this, Kyiv launched one of its largest drone barrages of the year. Nearly 300 drones striking an oil depot in Seratov that processes nearly 5 million tons of oil annually. In southwestern Russia. This pressure is starting to show up where it really matters, of course. Global markets. Russia's Urals crude has climbed, rising from $45 to roughly $76 per barrel. The irony here is that higher oil prices, of course, benefit Putin's war machine. Coming up next, in the back of the brief, the State Department sounds the alarm warning of potential attacks by Iran linked groups against US Targets. More on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, you may know me as the host of the pdb. 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In today's Back of the Brief, the US Government is warning Americans around the world to stay on alert as the war with Iran begins to ripple far beyond the battlefields. The State Department issued a rare worldwide security advisory over the weekend, cautioning that U.S. diplomatic facilities, businesses and locations frequented by American travelers could face elevated risks in the coming weeks. Notably, the alert doesn't point to a specific imminent threat, but that's, of course, what makes it significant. It's about a widening risk environment. Officials say groups supportive of Iran may begin targeting what you might call soft American American interests, places that aren't hardened military sites but still carry symbolic or strategic value. That includes everything from embassies and cultural centers to hotels or transit hubs and commercial districts where Americans gather. And there are already early warning signs. In recent days, U.S. officials issued localized alerts across Europe following a series of incidents in the Netherlands and other major cities. The US Embassy in Rome followed with its own advisory, urging Americans to exercise increased caution. Now, the timing here is key. The alert comes after President Trump initially issued a 48 hour ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, backed by a threat to strike critical infrastructure. But Trump, of course, has since paused that deadline, giving Tehran an additional five days to comply. The State Department is advising Americans abroad to stay vigilant, monitor guidance from local embassies and prepare for potential disruptions, including airspace closures and travel delays. They're also encouraging travelers to enroll in real time alert systems and review country specific advisories before heading overseas. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Tuesday 24th March. Now if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the first tv.com and if you get the chance, I do hope you'll check out our YouTube channel. Just head on over to YouTube and search up at President's Daily Brief. If you like what you see, I hope you'll hit that subscribe button. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.