President says successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei must abandon hardline policies to avoid renewed conflict.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump said he believes the United States should play a direct role in determining Iran’s next supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, arguing that the future leadership of the Islamic Republic will shape whether the region returns to conflict.
In an interview with Axios, Trump said he intends to be personally involved in the process that determines who ultimately succeeds the late Iranian leader.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,” Trump told the outlet.
Trump specifically rejected the possibility that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the slain leader and a cleric with close ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, could assume the position.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said.
The comments come as Iran’s leadership structure prepares to select a successor following the killing of Khamenei during the ongoing U.S.–Israeli military campaign against Tehran.
Under Iran’s constitution, the country’s Assembly of Experts—an 88-member clerical body—holds authority to appoint the supreme leader. The council has not yet announced a replacement but has indicated that a decision could come soon.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has emerged as one of the most prominent potential successors despite never holding elected office. Analysts have noted that his ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and influence within Iran’s clerical network have strengthened his position inside the ruling establishment.
Trump said allowing another leader aligned with the elder Khamenei’s policies could lead to renewed hostilities between Washington and Tehran.
“If they put someone like that in, we’ll be back at war in five years,” Trump said in the interview.
The president compared the situation in Iran to previous U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s political transition, suggesting Washington should again attempt to influence leadership outcomes abroad.
The remarks represent one of Trump’s most explicit statements about shaping Iran’s internal political succession since the conflict began.
Iran’s leadership transition is unfolding amid an escalating regional war that has included missile strikes, naval confrontations and attacks on military infrastructure across the Middle East.
While Tehran has not publicly commented on Trump’s remarks, Iranian officials have continued internal deliberations over who will succeed Khamenei as the country’s supreme leader.
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