BREAKING: TRUMP SAYS U.S. MUST BE INVOLVED IN CHOOSING IRAN’S NEXT LEADER AFTER KHAMENEI’S DEATH

TRUMP SAYS U.S. MUST BE INVOLVED IN CHOOSING IRAN’S NEXT LEADER AFTER KHAMENEI’S DEATH

United States President Donald Trump has stated that the United States must play a role in determining Iran’s next leader following the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Trump made the remark during an interview with Axios on Thursday, where he dismissed speculation that Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, could succeed his father. According to the U.S. president, the younger Khamenei would not be an acceptable choice for Iran’s leadership. Trump described him as politically weak and said efforts to install him would not succeed.

“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy in Venezuela,” Trump said.

The U.S. president was referring to Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed leadership in Venezuela earlier this year following the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro during a political crisis in the country.

Trump also stated that he would oppose any Iranian successor who continues the policies of the late Supreme Leader. According to him, the United States wants a leader in Iran who would promote stability and peaceful relations.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” he added.

Trump further warned that if Iran installs a leader who maintains the same ideological direction as the late Khamenei, the development could lead to renewed conflict between the United States and Iran within the next five years.

The uncertainty surrounding Iran’s leadership follows the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in late February, during a wave of joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel targeting Iranian military and government facilities. The strikes formed part of a broader military campaign launched amid escalating tensions over Iran’s regional influence and nuclear programme.

Reports indicate that several strategic sites in Tehran and other locations across Iran were targeted during the operation, triggering widespread reactions and increasing tensions across the Middle East.

Following the strikes, Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks against Israeli and U.S.-linked targets across the region, raising fears of a broader regional conflict and disrupting global energy routes, particularly shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit corridors.

Khamenei, who had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, wielded significant authority over the country’s political, military, and religious institutions. As Iran’s highest-ranking political and religious authority, the Supreme Leader exercises control over the armed forces, the judiciary, and major state policies.

Before his death, Khamenei had not publicly named a successor, creating a leadership vacuum in Tehran and intensifying speculation about who might assume the powerful position as the conflict in the region continues.