Former U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that he must play a role in selecting Iran’s next supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after discussions emerged in Iran over potential successors.
Trump made the remarks during an interview with Axios on Thursday, reacting to speculation that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, could assume the country’s top position.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy in Venezuela,” he said, referencing the recent U.S.-influenced leadership change in Venezuela.
The former president warned that any successor who continues Khamenei’s policies would be unacceptable to the United States.
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“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” he added, cautioning that a continuation of the late leader’s approach could force the U.S. back into conflict within five years.
Khamenei’s death in late February followed U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian military and government sites.
The attacks sparked retaliatory missile and drone strikes on U.S.-linked and Israeli targets, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
As Iran’s clerical elite deliberate on a successor, Trump’s comments underscore his intent to influence the leadership outcome, a move likely to intensify tensions with Tehran and impact the region’s fragile stability.
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