By Sabiu Abdullahi
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he must play a part in selecting Iran’s next leader following the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Trump made the remark during an interview with Axios on Thursday. He said Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the late Iranian leader, appears to be the most likely successor. However, the U.S. president rejected the possibility of him taking over the position.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight,” Trump said. “I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela.”
Rodriguez became Venezuela’s acting president in January after U.S. forces entered Caracas, arrested then-President Nicolas Maduro and transferred him to New York to face drug-related charges. After Rodriguez assumed office, Trump described Venezuela as “our new friend and partner” and said her administration had supplied the United States with millions of barrels of oil.
Trump stressed that Washington would not accept a new Iranian leader who intends to continue the policies of the late supreme leader.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me,” he told Axios. “We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”
He repeated the position in a separate interview with Reuters.
“We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future. We don’t have to go back every five years and do this again and again.”
Reports from the New York Times indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei has emerged as the leading candidate for the role after several meetings of Iran’s Assembly of Experts. The cleric, who has largely stayed away from public attention, studied Islamic theology and is known for holding hardline conservative views.
The comments from Trump come days after the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran. The strikes targeted multiple locations across the country. A humanitarian organisation reported that more than 1,000 people lost their lives during the attacks.
Iran responded with missile strikes on Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and other locations in the region. According to the Pentagon, six American service members have been killed in the conflict.
Military activity has continued in recent days. Reports indicate Iranian attacks in Azerbaijan. The U.S. Navy also sank an Iranian vessel in the Indian Ocean. The Pentagon said more than 20 Iranian ships have either been damaged or destroyed.
Soon after the first strikes, the Trump administration offered several explanations for the operation, which it named “Epic Fury.”
Vice President JD Vance said the campaign aims to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the action followed indications that Israel planned to attack Iran. Trump also suggested the operation could lead to political change in Iran. He wrote on Truth Social during the weekend, “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.”
During a press conference on Monday, Trump outlined four major objectives. He said the United States seeks to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, eliminate its navy, prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons and remove the current Iranian leadership.
It remains unclear how long the operation will last. Trump suggested it might take about four weeks but said the United States has the ability to continue longer if necessary.
The military action has drawn mixed reactions in the United States. Many Democrats oppose the campaign and have described it as illegal and strategically flawed. Several Republicans have expressed support for the president, although some have raised concerns in private.
A war powers resolution that aimed to limit the president’s authority over the Iran conflict failed in the Senate earlier this week. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are expected to vote on a similar proposal.
Public opinion also appears divided. A recent Reuters survey found that only one in four Americans support the U.S. strikes on Iran.
Iran’s government has condemned the attacks. Officials in Tehran described the strikes as illegal and urged the international community to support the country.
