US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he must be personally involved in choosing Iran’s next leader after joint US-Israel strikes on February 28 killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and resulted in a war in the Middle East.
He made the remark during an eight-minute phone call with Axios on Thursday, while explaining his war planning. During the interview, Donald Trump said Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has emerged as the leading contender to succeed him.
“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 Axios.
He further said that he refuses to accept a new Iranian leader continuing Khamenei’s policies, which will force the US back to war in “five years.”
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a mid-ranking cleric seen as a key behind-the-scenes power broker. Long linked to the Office of the Supreme Leader, he built close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and has been influential in security and political coordination despite never holding a formal public post.
In an interview with Axios, Trump compared the situation in Iran to the US intervention in Venezuela. In his statement, Trump said Venezuela had become “our new friend and partner” and said that the United States received over 80 million barrels of oil after the operation.
Iranian authorities have delayed the announcement of the new supreme leader after the killing of Khamenei. However, statements have emerged by Iranian politicians that a decision could be announced soon, Axios reported.
Trump also indicated that the White House had reviewed possible candidates for Iran’s leadership; however, some potential figures were now dead, he said. Furthermore, he said that a more moderate leader from within Iran could be given preference, “If there’s such a person, but we have people like that. We have people … more moderate,” he said.
The supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, also called the supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution and officially called the supreme leadership authority, is the highest political and religious authority of Iran.
