March 05, (THEWILL) — United States President, Donald Trump, has ruled out Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a possible successor, insisting that he must have a role in determining who leads the Islamic Republic next.
Trump made the remark during an interview with Axios on Thursday, following the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei during the initial wave of joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran.
The U.S. president dismissed the prospects of Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, who has been widely viewed by some observers as a leading contender to succeed his father, describing him as an unacceptable option.
“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”, Trump said.
He added that Washington would prefer a successor capable of stabilising the country and reducing tensions in the region.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran”, Trump said.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who served as Iran’s supreme leader for more than three decades, was killed during the opening phase of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli attacks on key Iranian military and government facilities, an escalation that has heightened tensions across the Middle East.
His death has triggered uncertainty over Iran’s leadership succession, with various political and clerical factions reportedly positioning themselves ahead of the formal process to appoint a new supreme leader.
Under Iran’s constitutional system, the Supreme Leader is chosen by the Assembly of Experts, a powerful body of Islamic clerics tasked with selecting and supervising the country’s highest authority.
However, the current conflict and the sudden death of Khamenei have complicated the succession process, raising concerns about potential instability within the Iranian leadership structure.
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