PRESS REVIEW: Wednesday, March 11 – we look at evidence that the strike on a girls’ school in Minab was carried out by a US missile. In other news, France heads to the polls in council elections with a fractured left wing and a far right hoping for sweeping gains. And finally, new findings could pave the way for improving hedgehog road safety.
After the Trump administration dismissed a strike on a girls’ primary school in Minab as an Iranian misfire, The Guardian presents evidence to the contrary. The missile type, based on verified video footage, appears to be a Tomahawk, not a Soumar — indicating it was American. Furthermore, the school’s proximity to an IRGC compound makes it plausible that the US was intentionally targeting other facilities in the area.
Since the announcement on Sunday evening that Mojtaba Khamenei would succeed his father as Supreme Leader, he has yet to be seen publicly. Sources told IranWire that, as of Tuesday, President Pezeshkian and his ministers had no contact with the new leader and no clear knowledge of the current situation. This comes amid speculation that Mojtaba Khamenei may have been injured in the strikes that killed his father and much of his family. The President’s son has since posted on social media that Khamenei is alive and well, while Israeli intelligence suspects he is “lightly wounded.” IranWire further describes “total disarray” at the heart of the Pezeshkian administration amid continued US-Israeli strikes, with fears the government may not even succeed in paying salaries before the Iranian New Year on the 20th.
Meanwhile, France heads to the polls on Sunday for the first round of voting to elect mayors and councillors, a final electoral litmus test ahead of next year’s presidential election. Le Monde reports a divided left: the Socialists are trying to demonstrate they can remain a substantial political force without La France Insoumise, while La France Insoumise seeks to expand its relatively small local council footprint. This follows a reputational blow for the movement after two activists allegedly attacked a young far-right activist, causing his death, and repeated outbursts by Jean-Luc Mélenchon that have been criticised as antisemitic.
France’s three largest cities currently have left-wing mayors, but polling in Le Figaro suggests this may not last. In Paris, a right-wing candidate is close behind the Socialists, while in Marseille the far-right National Rally is neck and neck with the incumbent Socialist. In Lyon, the right appears on track to claim the city from the Greens.
The far-right National Rally is not just focused on major cities. 20 Minutes reports that the party has fielded candidates in more towns and villages than ever. Their chances of winning are potentially higher in smaller towns, where local issues can outweigh political ideology. Expanding their presence across the country with local representatives is also seen as a strategic step in improving the party’s broader image.
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