Trump Demands Role In Choosing Iran’s Next Supreme Leader
President Donald Trump has said the United States must play a direct role in selecting Iran’s next supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent U.S.-Israeli airstrikes.
In an exclusive interview with Axios published Thursday, Trump said he needs to be personally involved in the appointment process and drew a comparison to what he described as his influence over leadership changes in Venezuela.
“I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodríguez] in Venezuela,” Trump told Axios. 
Trump also sharply dismissed the late leader’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, whom many see as a leading candidate to succeed his father. Trump described him as a “lightweight” and said such an outcome would risk renewed conflict.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” he said. 
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Mojtaba Khamenei, a 56‑year‑old cleric with close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and significant influence within Iran’s religious establishment, has been widely viewed as a potential successor amid the uncertainty following Khamenei’s death. 
Under Iran’s constitution, the supreme leader is formally selected by the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body tasked with appointing the country’s highest authority. Iran has not yet announced a new leader, and reports indicate that the clerical establishment is still deliberating amid the escalating conflict. 
Trump’s comments come amid continued military operations by the U.S. and Israel against Iran’s leadership, missile sites, and nuclear facilities, actions that have heightened regional tensions and triggered retaliatory strikes by Iran and its allied militias. Critics have raised concerns about the implications of foreign involvement in another nation’s leadership selection process, warning it could further destabilize an already volatile situation. 
Despite Trump’s statements, there is no indication that Iranian authorities are considering any foreign government’s involvement in the succession process. 
