Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
US President Donald Trump said he believes he must be personally involved in the selection of Iran’s next supreme leader, openly rejecting Mojtaba Khamenei as an acceptable successor following the assassination of Ali Khamenei.
In remarks published by Axios, Trump acknowledged that Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is widely viewed as the most likely candidate to succeed his father. However, he made clear that Washington would oppose such an outcome.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment,” Trump was quoted as saying, drawing a comparison to US involvement in political developments in Venezuela. He added that the United States would not accept a new Iranian leader who continues the policies of the late supreme leader, warning that such a scenario could push Washington and Tehran back into war “in five years.”
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said.
Iran has not formally announced a successor to Ali Khamenei. Under the country’s constitution, the Assembly of Experts a clerical body, is responsible for appointing the supreme leader. Mojtaba Khamenei, a cleric with longstanding ties to influential political and security circles, has emerged as a frontrunner in speculation surrounding the succession process, though no official decision has been confirmed.
Trump’s comments signal an unusually direct stance on Iran’s internal leadership transition, suggesting a willingness by Washington to seek influence over the outcome at a moment of heightened tensions between the two countries. Analysts note that US involvement in Iran’s succession process would represent a dramatic escalation in rhetoric and could further complicate diplomatic prospects during an already volatile period in the region.
