Thuppahi's Blog

News Item in NDTVWorld, 2 March 2026

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi was appointed jurist member of Iran’s interim Leadership Council on Sunday. This came after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the US and Israel. The three-member council will assume the Supreme Leader’s responsibilities until the Assembly of Experts elects a successor, Reuters reported, citing ISNA.

Navigator of Pearl and Persian Currents ... with highlighting being the imposition of The Editor, Thuppahi

Interventions, meant to stabilize, often alienate all parties, and can lead to prolonged, difficult conflicts where the intervening force finds itself fighting against former allies. By 1989, both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE turned against the IPKF, with Colombo even providing weapons to the Tigers to hasten India’s departure. This serves as a warning for 2026, where perceived state aggression could turn local populations against foreign “stabilisers”. It also serves as a lesson for Sri Lanka in an age where Western powers never seem to learn the lessons of the past.

I am not a knowledgeable Sri Lankan.  I am an outsider.  But here is my take*++* for what it is worth.

The assassination of the 86-year-old Khamenei, a man nearing the end of his life, was a complete error of judgment, a display of cognitive dissonance, and the most foolish, dangerous act of any US leader. It has set the Muslim world on fire during the holy month of Ramadan, an act that will have consequences for the world for decades.

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  KKS Perera, responding to a Challenging TPS Item from Michael Roberts at https://thuppahis.com/2026/03/03/us-iran-war-any-lessons-from-sri-lanka-in-1987-et-seq/

History seldom unfolds in neat moral binaries. The crisis of 1987 between India and Sri Lanka was not simply about humanitarian concern for Tamil civilians, nor solely about ethnic conflict within the island. It was also deeply shaped by Cold War geopolitics, regional insecurity, and strategic rivalry. To understand the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, one must situate it within India’s broader anxieties at the time, including its suspicion of American influence in South Asia and its concern over strategic assets such as Trincomalee harbour.

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An Email Circular From Roberts in March 2026

Assuming that today’s readers are aware of the US intervention in Iran, the killing of Ayatollah Khomeini & other leaders and the ongoing military operations in that part of the world, let me ask older generations of Sri Lankans aged 60 or more a DIFFICULT  QUESTION: what  happened when Rajiv Gandhi and India  intervened forcibly in  Sri Lanka in 1987 in support of the Tamil people of the island and the various  political and fighting  elements of the SL Tamil population?

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Desert Wanderer

Following the death of Ali Khamenei, the duties of Supreme Leader were temporarily transferred to Alireza Arafi. He joined the Governance Council, which is now governing Iran during this transitional period. Arafi is a longtime fixture in the system. He holds the position of second vice chairman of the Assembly of Experts , the body that elects the Supreme Leader. Moreover, he has long been considered a member of Khamenei’s inner circle and a potential candidate to replace him.

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Desert Wanderer

With regard to the war in West Asia, the US and Israel are inflicting significant damage on Iran, having dropped over 1,500 bombs.  But wait 7 more days.  By then, things may well turn around in Iran’s favour. Israel’s defence systems will be depleted, overwhelmed,  or destroyed,  and the US will be in the same position, having to sail to Diego Garcia to reload, which is 3 days sailing each way.

TF-iran war

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Alagappan MuthuIN ESPNcricinfo.com, 1 March 2026

South Africa 154 for 5 (Brevis 42, Rickelton 31, Raza 3-29) beat Zimbabwe 153 for 7 (Raza 73, Maphaka 2-21) by five wickets

South Africa took an unbeaten record into the T20 World Cup semi-finals after overcoming an inspired performance from Sikandar Raza (73 off 43 and 3 for 29). Aiden Markram‘s men successfully chased down a target of 154 in Delhi and will now travel to Kolkata to face New Zealand in the first of what they will hope are two knockout matches.

Raza all the way

He scored 73 of the 98 runs that Zimbabwe got while he was in the middle. That included 12 of the team’s 13 boundaries. His strike rate was nearly 170. The other end’s was 86.

Sikandar Raza brought up a 29-ball fifty•AFP/Getty Images

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Andrew Fidel Fernando, in ESPNcricinfo, 1 March 2026, ……………………. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/sanath-jayasuriya-to-step-down-as-sri-lanka-coach-1526373

Sanath Jayasuriya has decided to step down as Sri Lanka men’s head coach. He announced his decision following Sri Lanka’s narrow loss to Pakistan, that match ending the team’s World Cup journey. Although he had not officially informed SLC of this decision, he said he had already decided this World Cup would be his last assignment in the role.

“I thought it was time to give it to someone else,” said Jayasuriya. “That’s why about two months ago I’d said during the England series that I don’t have hopes of staying in the job for long. I’d taken this decision by then. I thought I’d be able to leave as coach on a good note in the World Cup. I wasn’t able to do that as well as I’d like, and I’m sad about that.”

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Scarlet  Fire 

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