US President, Donald Trump has stated that the United States should have a decisive role in selecting Iran’s next supreme leader, a stance analysts warn could provoke unintended consequences amid the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict.
Speaking to U.S. media, Trump said any successor to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “is not going to last long” without Washington’s approval. “He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News, adding that the U.S. seeks to avoid recurring crises in the region.
Trump also indicated he might support a candidate with ties to Iran’s pre-1979 establishment if it aligns with American interests, though he did not name specific individuals.
His remarks come as Iran’s Assembly of Experts prepares to formalise the new supreme leader following Khamenei’s assassination in a U.S.–Israeli strike earlier this month. Iran’s foreign minister reiterated that the country’s people—not Washington—will decide the next leader and demanded an apology for the attacks.
Analysts warn that attempts to influence Iran’s leadership could strengthen nationalist resistance and complicate diplomatic efforts, heightening tensions in an already volatile region.
