Sen. Marco Rubio was asked on Fox News if Mojtaba Khamenei is alive, to which he responded that there is no evidence to suggest otherwise, adding that being "alive" and being "in power" are two different questions.
The global oil price rose above $110 per barrel for the first time in three weeks, with Brent crude increasing 2.7% to $111.2 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate gaining 2.3% to $98.5 per barrel, due to traders' concerns over the lack of progress in negotiations between the United States and the Islamic Republic to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. CNN reported that former President Donald Trump stated it is unlikely he will accept Tehran's recent proposal to end the war, which includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz but defers nuclear program discussions to future talks.
Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, stated that a ceasefire is the absolute priority and that no other issues will be discussed until a ceasefire agreement is reached, warning that manipulating the Lebanese lira's exchange rate would have disastrous consequences. Berri also noted that Lebanon's government is in a state of stagnation and criticized the president's positions.
The U.S. naval blockade has reduced Iran's oil exports by 70%, leaving Iran with only 12-22 days of oil storage remaining, and Strait of Hormuz shipments are nearly halted, with production expected to decrease by an additional 1.5 million barrels per day by mid-May.
Rubio on Fox News, asked if Mojtaba Khamenei is alive: "We have no evidence that he is not. I think the question between 'alive' and 'in power' are two different questions."
