Trump rejects Khamenei’s son as Iran’s next leader

United States President Donald Trump has said he wants to play a role in selecting the next supreme leader of Iran after the death of Ali Khamenei.

Trump made the statement during an interview with Axios on Thursday. He said the possible successor, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei, is “unacceptable” to him.

According to Trump, the United States should be involved in the process of choosing Iran’s next leader to help ensure stability in the country. He warned that without a leader who is acceptable to the United States, there could be another war within the next five years.

Trump also compared the situation in Iran with what happened in Venezuela. He said the United States had earlier removed former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro from power and is now working with interim leader Delcy Rodríguez.

Despite Trump’s statement, it remains unclear how the United States could influence the selection of Iran’s next supreme leader.

In Iran, the leader is chosen by an assembly of senior Shiite Muslim clerics, many of whom strongly oppose the United States.

Ali Khamenei had ruled Iran since 1989 and was known for his hardline policies both at home and abroad. He was killed last Saturday during an Israeli strike after fighting broke out between Israel and Iran, with the United States also involved in the conflict.

Following his death, attention has turned to who will succeed him. One of the names being mentioned is his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is believed to have strong influence within Iran’s political and religious system.

Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has suggested that he could return as a temporary leader. He said this would allow the country to create a new constitution and move toward a democratic system.

Pahlavi also argued that any supreme leader chosen within Iran’s current Islamic system would not be legitimate.