Khamenei’s son ‘weak’ as Iran’s next leader: Trump

Noman Sabit: President Donald Trump said that Khamenei’s son is ‘weak’ and that, in his view, the United States should have a role in selecting Iran’s new leader. He added that he personally needs to be involved in the process of choosing Iran’s next leader. Trump made the remarks in a recent interview.

In an interview with Axios published Thursday, Trump said the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, is most likely to succeed his father, but that the pick would be “unacceptable” to him.

“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump told the outlet.

“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodríguez] in Venezuela,” the president said.

Rodríguez, Venezuela’s former vice president, became the country’s leader after Trump ordered U.S. strikes on Venezuela that resulted in the ousting and capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro. There have since been signs of some cooperation between the U.S. and Venezuelan governments.

Trump’s demand that he decide the next leader of Iran, however, could complicate efforts to end the conflict in that country, which was long run by the U.S.-backed Shah of Iran before the Iranian revolution. The shah’s rule was strengthened by a coup in 1953 backed by the U.S. and British governments in which the CIA was instrumental.

Trump told reporters Wednesday Iranian leadership keeps dying when asked about potential future leaders.

“Their leadership is rapidly going. Everyone that wants to be a leader ends up dead,” he said.

“Their missiles are being wiped out rapidly. Their launchers are being wiped out,” he added.

It is unclear who is in charge of Iran following U.S.-Israeli strikes in the country Saturday.

Days after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death, a building housing 88 members of the country’s Council of Experts was bombed while they were counting votes for Khamenei’s replacement, according to Axios.

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