TEHRAN DAILY - 20 MARCH 2026
IRGC Launches Super-Heavy Multi-Warhead Missiles in Wave 66; Supreme Leader Khamenei Issues Condolence for Khatib; Hegseth Requests $200 Billion; Gabbard Testifies US-Israeli War Objectives Diverge
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IRGC Launches Wave 66 With Super-Heavy Multi-Warhead Systems Against Israel
IRGC announced execution of Wave 66 of Operation True Promise 4 using five super-heavy and multi-warhead systems Friday, according to Pars Today and state media reports.
Iran Developing Selective Strait of Hormuz Transit System for Allied Nations
Iran moving toward selective blockade of Strait of Hormuz allowing passage for India Pakistan Iraq Malaysia and China while developing vetting and registration system, Lloyd's List reported Thursday.
QatarEnergy Declares Five-Year Force Majeure After $26 Billion Ras Laffan Damage
QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi said Thursday Iranian attacks caused $26 billion damage wiping out 17 percent capacity requiring five-year force majeure on Italy Belgium Korea China LNG contracts.
US Intelligence Contradicts Trump: Iran Not Rebuilding Nuclear Enrichment Capacity
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified Thursday that Iran has made no efforts to rebuild nuclear enrichment programme since Operation Midnight Hammer destroyed it, contradicting Trump war justification.
DRIVING THE DAY
SUMMARY: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced 20 March execution of Wave 66 of Operation True Promise 4 using five super-heavy multi-warhead missile systems, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei issued a condolence message to President Masoud Pezeshkian following confirmation of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib's death, urging officials to "strip security from internal and external enemies" and maintain national security. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters 19 March the Pentagon has requested $200 billion from Congress to fund the Iran war, stating "it takes money to kill bad guys," while Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified 19 March before the House intelligence committee that US and Israeli war objectives in Iran are not identical, with Washington focused on destroying Iran's nuclear and missile capacity while Israel pursues broader regime decapitation. Iranian forces struck Qatar's Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas complex 18-19 March, causing damage QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi said will require up to five years to repair at a cost of $26 billion and forcing the company to declare force majeure on long-term contracts with Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China, while Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has consolidated wartime authority as Tehran's most visible political coordinator following the deaths of Ali Larijani, Gholamreza Soleimani, and Khatib. END SUMMARY.
