United States President, Donald Trump, has said he should be involved in deciding who succeeds Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, as the country’s next leader.
Trump made the remark during an interview with Axios, where he dismissed the possibility of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, taking over the position.
The U.S. president described Mojtaba as “unacceptable” and insisted that Washington should have a say in the process of selecting Iran’s next leader.
According to Trump, “They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela.”
He added, “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”
Mojtaba Khamenei has been widely viewed as a likely successor to his father amid the political uncertainty following the late leader’s death.
Meanwhile, concerns are growing internationally over the possibility of internal instability in Iran as tensions escalate between Tehran, the United States and Israel.
Speaking ahead of a video conference with European Union foreign ministers and representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said several Middle Eastern countries fear the situation could trigger a civil war in Iran.
“When we talk to the countries in the region, they are also worried about civil wars inside Iran because of the regime’s leadership and what is going on there,” Kallas said.
She stressed that the European Union is pushing for diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation in the region.
“Wars really end in diplomacy, and there has to be room for diplomacy here to really get out of this cycle of escalation,”Kallas added.
The situation in Iran remains uncertain as global powers monitor the unfolding leadership transition and the broader regional tensions.