Washington: US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that any future supreme leader of Iran would require approval from the United States to remain in power. In a televised interview with ABC News, Trump insisted that without US sign-off, the new Iranian leader would not "last long."
According to Anadolu Agency, Trump emphasized the strategic importance of this stance, explaining that he aims to prevent the US from being drawn into another conflict with Iran in the future. He expressed concerns about the prospect of Iran developing a nuclear weapon, stating, "I don't want people to have to go back in five years and have to do the same thing again or worse let them have a nuclear weapon."
When questioned about the possibility of approving a leader with ties to the current regime, Trump indicated openness, noting, "There are numerous people that could qualify." However, Iranian officials quickly rebuffed these comments, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserting that the selection of Iran's next leader is solely "the business of the Iranian people," rejecting any foreign interference.
Senior cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda mentioned that the Assembly of Experts has already voted on a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but did not reveal any names. Meanwhile, Trump previously told Axios that he anticipated being directly involved in the selection process, dismissing reported frontrunner Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the current supreme leader, as "a lightweight."
In his interview, Trump also accused Iran of planning to "take over the entire Middle East" before being deterred by US actions, an allegation that Iran has not immediately responded to. Additionally, Trump downplayed rising gasoline prices as a "little glitch" and claimed significant damage to Iranian military assets, including the sinking of 44 Iranian ships and the destruction of its air force, communications, and air defense systems.
While declining to predict the duration of the ongoing conflict, Trump assured that operations are "ahead of schedule both in terms of lethality and in terms of time," moderating his earlier assertion that the campaign would conclude within four to five weeks. He also did not rule out deploying special forces to seize Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, indicating that "everything is on the table."
The tensions in the region have escalated following a joint US-Israel attack on Iran, now entering its ninth day, which has reportedly resulted in over 1,200 casualties. In retaliation, Tehran has launched drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf nations hosting US military assets.
