By SUNTV Global News Desk | March 5, 2026
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has said he believes Washington should play a role in determining who becomes the next Supreme Leader of Iran following the death of longtime leader Ali Khamenei.
Trump made the remarks during an interview with Axios on Thursday, where he dismissed the possibility of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, taking over the powerful 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,” Trump said, referencing Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed leadership in Venezuela after U.S. forces captured former president Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
The U.S. president also made it clear that Washington would oppose any successor who continues the policies of the late Iranian leader.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump stated, warning that if a similar leadership emerges, it could push the United States back into conflict with Iran within a few years.
The comments come as Iran faces political uncertainty after the death of Khamenei, who had ruled the Islamic Republic since 1989 and held sweeping authority over the country’s military, judiciary, and key state policies.
His death followed a wave of joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian military and government targets, part of a major military campaign triggered by escalating tensions over Tehran’s regional activities and nuclear program.
The strikes reportedly hit several strategic locations in Tehran and other parts of the country, igniting a wider conflict across the Middle East. In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israeli and U.S.-linked targets across the region, heightening fears of a broader regional war and disrupting vital energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iran has yet to officially announce a new Supreme Leader. Mojtaba Khamenei is widely considered one of the possible successors, though the final decision traditionally lies with the country’s powerful Assembly of Experts.
The leadership vacuum in Tehran has intensified global attention as the region braces for the next phase of the conflict and the future direction of Iran’s political system.
Reporting by SUNTV Global News.
