By SUNTV Global Channel | March 9, 2026
United States President, Donald Trump, has declared that he already has a preferred candidate in mind to lead Iran, as the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel, and Tehran continues to reshape the political landscape of the Middle East.
Speaking during an interview with CBS News, Trump suggested that the joint military campaign carried out by U.S. and Israeli forces has severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities.
“I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force,” Trump said during the interview.
The conflict began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iranian targets, prompting retaliatory strikes by Tehran against Israel and Gulf countries hosting American military bases.
The escalating conflict has reportedly claimed dozens of lives in Iran, including that of the country’s longtime Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Following his death, Iranian authorities appointed his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader — a move that has drawn criticism from Washington.
When asked if he had any message for the new Iranian leader, Trump dismissed the idea, saying he had none.
“I have no message for him,” the U.S. president stated. “I have someone in mind to lead Iran,” he added, without revealing the identity of the individual.
Trump’s remarks appear to reinforce earlier suggestions that Washington should play a role in shaping Iran’s future leadership — a proposal strongly rejected by officials in Tehran.
The U.S. president also said the military campaign is advancing more rapidly than initially anticipated.
According to Trump, the United States is already far ahead of the four-to-five-week timeline he earlier predicted for the conflict.
Beyond the battlefield, the war has also rattled global energy markets, particularly around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes.
Nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments normally pass through the narrow waterway, making it a crucial artery for global energy supply.
Trump noted that shipping activity through the strait has begun to resume after earlier disruptions caused by the fighting.
“Ships are moving through now,” he said, while adding that he is “thinking about taking it over.”
The statement highlights the growing geopolitical stakes of the conflict as tensions continue to escalate across the region.
Trump had earlier criticized Iran’s decision to elevate Mojtaba Khamenei to the powerful position following the death of his father, describing the choice as a “big mistake.”
The late Ali Khamenei had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader for more than three decades, wielding enormous political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic.
Trump also addressed speculation about potential U.S. plans regarding Iran’s oil resources, saying it was “too soon” to discuss such moves but that he would not completely rule them out.
The comments add to rising diplomatic tensions between Washington and Tehran following the deadly strikes that reportedly killed the elder Khamenei and further intensified instability across the Middle East.
Reporting by SUNTV Global Channel.
