Trump: I Must Help Pick Iran's Next Leader, Calls Khamenei's Son Unacceptable

In Washington, President Donald Trump said in interviews that he must have a role in choosing Iran’s next leader, a stance that broadens the U.S. footprint in a volatile region after the air strikes against the regime. He described the process as one that should not be rehashed every few years and hinted at his own accountability in shaping the transition, much as he asserted in Venezuela with Delcy Rodriguez.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me,” he said, adding: “We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.” He also reminded reporters that, “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.”

Iranian officials have pointed to Mojtaba Khamenei as the main candidate to succeed the late supreme leader, a young cleric with a background in Islamic theology who is viewed as a hardline conservative. Trump noted that several potential successors he had in mind were killed in the airstrikes, complicating the selection.

Trump also drew on a recent example from Venezuela to justify keeping a central role in leadership changes abroad, arguing that the United States should not be absent from such decisions.

This is a developing story as Washington weighs how far involvement should go in Tehran’s succession and what a future Iran leadership would mean for regional stability.

#TrumpIran #KhameneiSon #IranLeadership