Iran confirms new supreme leader injured, record IEA oil release fails to curb global prices (VIDEOS, PHOTOS)

Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom is not considering withdrawing from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant project in southern Iran, Rosatom's head Alexey Likhachev has said. The project remains among the corporation’s priorities, and “it’s definitely not the right time to walk away,” he stated.

According to Likhachev, more than 450 Rosatom employees are currently at the site and are “in relative safety.”

In his first public statement to the nation, Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, expressed gratitude to “our brave fighters who... with their crushing blows, have blocked the enemy’s path and made them abandon the illusion of being able to dominate our dear homeland and possibly dividing it.”

Khamenei vowed to “demand compensation from the enemy,” adding that if the US and Israel refuse to provide restitution, “we will seize as much of their assets as we deem appropriate, and if that is not possible, we will destroy the same amount of their assets.”

He urged neighboring countries to “clarify their position regarding the aggressors against our beloved homeland and the murderers of our people,” and called on them to close the US bases as soon as possible, as quoted by Iranian media.

RT’s Tehran bureau chief, Hami Hamedi, reports that US-Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 1,300 people and injured over 12,000 in the past 13 days, citing Iranian officials. In Tehran, 1,300 homes were damaged, with residents temporarily housed in hotels.

Hamedi noted attacks on industrial zones in Parand and across eastern, southern, and western Tehran. “Over the past two days, the majority of attacks have been concentrated on eastern Tehran, as more military units are located in that area,” he said, adding that most attacks hit civilian areas rather than military sites.

Watch Hamedi’s report below.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has called out the European Union's complicity in the attacks on Iran by its “indifference and acquiescence in the face of US and Israeli aggression, brutalities, and atrocities.”

On Wednesday, the EU imposed a fresh batch of sanctions on 19 Iranian officials and entities over what it described as “serious human rights violations.” The restrictions include travel bans and asset freezes, among other measures.

Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has issued his first public statement since assuming the post, vowing that the Islamic Republic would seek retribution for the “blood of martyrs,” as quoted by local media on Thursday. He also called for national unity in the face of external pressure.

Several Western media outlets have claimed that the new supreme leader sustained serious injuries in the wave of US-Israeli attacks that killed his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the conflict on February 28.

Iranian authorities have dismissed the reports, insisting that Mojtaba Khamenei is in good health.

Speaking separately to CNN, Wright has dismissed fears that the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could push oil to $200 per barrel, calling it “a short-term energy disruption.”

“I would say it’s unlikely… But I’m not going to speculate on short-term trading; that’s driven more by psychology than actual oil flows. The world is very well supplied right now,” he said, even as all 34 IEA members agreed on Wednesday to a record 400-million-barrel release from emergency reserves to try to curb prices already hovering just above $100 per barrel.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said the Navy is not ready to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

“It’ll happen relatively soon but it can’t happen now,” Wright told CNBC. “We’re simply not ready. All of our military assets are focused on destroying Iran’s offensive capabilities and the industry that supplies them.”

He added the Navy could be ready by the end of the month and said the issue is under discussion with defense officials.

The Israeli Army claims it “eliminated” Hezbollah’s Radwan Force southern Lebanon commander Abu Ali Riyan, who is responsible for operations, recruitment, and weapons. The IDF said it has also killed over 100 Hezbollah militants and destroyed more than 60 Radwan Force command centers in southern Lebanon.

The Radwan Force is Hezbollah’s special operations unit.

US CENTCOM has released new unclassified footage purportedly showing strikes on Iranian military installations, captioned: “We are eliminating Iran’s ability to threaten American forces and regional partners through lethality and precision.”

READ MORE: Is the US war on Iran repeating the Afghanistan folly? (RT REPORT)

Iran’s leadership remains largely intact and is not at risk of collapse despite nearly two weeks of relentless US and Israeli bombardment that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders and officials, Reuters reports, citing US intelligence sources.

They claim a “multitude” of intelligence assessments offer “consistent analysis that the regime is not in danger” of collapsing and “retains control of the Iranian public.”

Israeli officials have also acknowledged in closed discussions that there is no certainty the war – which many experts suggest is aimed specifically at regime change in Iran – will lead to the clerical government’s collapse, a senior Israeli official told the outlet.