American President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that he must be involved in choosing the successor of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as he did in Venezuela.
The Iranian regime has been delaying the announcement of the new Supreme Leader for several days. However, statements made by Iranian politicians on Thursday suggested that an announcement could be imminent. And Trump does not accept a new Iranian leader who would continue Khamenei’s policies. He mentioned that Khamenei’s son would force the US back into war „in five years.”
The White House leader acknowledged, in an interview with the American publication Axios, that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the assassinated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, is most likely the successor, but he stated that he finds this outcome unacceptable.
"They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a weak man. I must be involved in the appointment, just like in the case of Delcy (Rodriguez) in Venezuela," Trump said.
"Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran," he added.
Trump's comments represent an extraordinary claim of American power over Iran's political future, further disturbing the objectives of the massive military campaign he launched on Saturday, as reported by the publication.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the assassinated Supreme Leader in the US and Israel's attacks on Iran, has become the favorite to succeed his father in power, although no official announcement has been made. A radical cleric with close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, Mojtaba Khamenei has never held a public office.
Israel bombed the Iranian building in Qom on Tuesday, which houses the clerical body responsible for choosing Iran's next Supreme Leader, in an attempt to disrupt the vote counting.
When asked on Tuesday who could replace Khamenei, Trump told reporters at the White House, "Most of the people I had in mind are dead."
In his State of the Nation address, Trump referred to Venezuela as "our new friend and partner" and stated that the US has received over 80 million barrels of oil from the operation to capture Maduro.
American President praised Rodriguez on Wednesday, saying that "the oil is starting to flow," after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited Caracas and Rodriguez announced plans to reform the country's mining laws.