US President Donald Trump has stated his desire to choose Iran's new leader, following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of other clerics and commanders.
According to Trump, he wants to select a "GREAT AND ACCEPTABLE leader" after Iran's "unconditional surrender". The US president made these remarks in telephone interviews with the Axios news website and Reuters.
The Iranian leadership's response to Trump's comments was predictable, with the conservative Mehr News Agency carrying a rebuke from members of the interim Leadership Council, stating that "the great Iranian nation will never allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs and its right to determine its own destiny".
Iran's Leadership Selection Process
The process of selecting a new leader in Iran is secretive, and there are conflicting reports about the potential successor to Ayatollah Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei, the supreme leader's 56-year-old son, is being widely tipped as the front-runner, but Trump has stated that he is "unacceptable".
Mehdi Khalaji, a senior fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East policy, said that the Assembly of Experts, a grouping of 88 senior clerics, is tasked with selecting the new leader, but it is unclear if they have already made a decision.
US Involvement and Regional Tensions
Trump's comments on Iran's leadership come as the US and Israel continue to attack Iran, with retaliatory strikes from Iran targeting Israel and the Gulf region. The situation remains volatile, with no clear end in sight.
The US president's remarks have been seen as an attempt to exert influence over the selection of Iran's new leader, but it is unclear how successful this effort will be. The Iranian government has made it clear that it will not allow external interference in its internal affairs.
