United States President Donald Trump has said he wants to play a role in determining who succeeds Iran’s Supreme Leader following the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Speaking in an interview with Axios, Trump dismissed the possibility of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, emerging as the next leader, describing him as unsuitable for the position.
“Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy,” Trump said, drawing a comparison to developments in Venezuela, where interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has worked with the United States following the removal of former president Nicolas Maduro.
Trump warned that the United States could find itself at war again within five years if Iran does not produce a leader favourable to Washington.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” he was quoted as saying.
It remains unclear how Trump or the United States could directly influence the selection of Iran’s supreme leader, as the process is traditionally handled by an assembly of senior Shiite Muslim clerics who are widely known for their opposition to the United States.
Nevertheless, Trump’s remarks suggest he may be open to working with a new leader from within Iran rather than pushing for a complete overthrow of the government, which has been a major adversary of the United States since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the pro-Western Shah.
Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah, has proposed returning to Iran as a transitional figure to oversee the drafting of a new constitution aimed at establishing a secular democratic system.
Pahlavi, however, argued that any successor chosen from within the current Iranian leadership structure would lack legitimacy.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran since 1989 and was known for his hardline policies, including domestic repression and confrontational foreign policy, was killed in an Israeli strike as Israel and the United States launched military operations against Iran.
His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is widely regarded as one of the potential successors.
If chosen, he would become the third supreme leader of Iran after his father and the country’s revolutionary founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Trump also referenced his administration’s actions in Venezuela, including a January 3 operation in which US forces captured Maduro, a longtime rival of Washington.
Instead of backing the traditional opposition groups in Venezuela, Trump said he has been satisfied with Rodriguez’s cooperation with the United States, particularly regarding access to natural resources and policies benefiting American oil companies.
According to Trump, her cooperation has been influenced by Washington’s firm stance and the threat of further action if US interests are not respected.
