United States President Donald Trump has said he should have a role in selecting the next supreme leader of Iran following the death of longtime leader Ali Khamenei.
In an interview with Axios Trump rejected the possibility of Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei succeeding his father describing him as unacceptable and a lightweight candidate for the powerful position. He said the United States wants a leader who would bring harmony and peace to Iran rather than continue the hardline policies associated with the previous administration.
Trump suggested that Washington should play a role in determining who leads the Islamic republic next drawing comparisons with developments in Venezuela where he said the United States had influence over political leadership ces involving Delcy Rodriguez and former president Nicolas Maduro.
According to the US president allowing a leader who continues Khamenei’s policies could push the United States and Iran back toward war within a few years. He insisted that the next Iranian leadership must adopt a more peaceful and cooperative approach toward the international community.
Khamenei who ruled Iran since 1989 was ed in a strike linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel creating uncertainty about the country’s political future.
Despite Trump’s comments analysts note that Iran’s constitution states that the country’s supreme leader is selected by the Assembly of Experts a body of senior Shiite clerics who traditionally oppose foreign interference particularly from the United States.
Meanwhile exiled Iranian royal figure Reza Pahlavi has argued that any new leader chosen within the current Islamic republic structure would lack legitimacy and has proposed a transitional system leading to a democratic constitution.
The leadership transition in Iran is expected to have major implications for regional ility Middle East politics and relations with the United States as the world watches closely for Tehran’s next move.
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