Iran’s New Leader Will Not ‘Last Long’ Without His Approval, Trump Warns

President Trump asserted on Sunday that Iran’s future supreme leader would need U.S. approval to remain in power, as Operation Epic Fury enters its second week following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News in an interview. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long. We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a president like me that’s not going to do it.”

The President emphasized his concern about preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, adding, “I don’t want people to have to go back in five years and have to do the same thing again or worse let them have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump’s statements come at a critical moment in Iranian politics, as the country’s Assembly of Experts works to select a successor following Khamenei’s death on February 28. According to Iranian state media, a majority consensus has been reached on a new supreme leader, though the process faces “some obstacles,” according to Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, a member of the Assembly.

The selection of Iran’s next supreme leader carries significant geopolitical implications. As the country’s highest political and religious authority, the supreme leader controls Iran’s military, judiciary, and state broadcasting, while also having final say on all major political decisions, including nuclear policy.

Several candidates have emerged as potential successors. The Associated Press reports that leading contenders include Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late supreme leader; Ali Reza Arafi, a senior Shiite cleric; former president Hassan Rouhani; Hassan Khomeini, grandson of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini; and Mohammed Mehdi Mirbagheri, head of the Islamic Cultural Center in Qom.

When asked about his preferences, Trump indicated he might support someone with ties to the previous regime. “I would, in order to choose a good leader I would, yeah, I would. There are numerous people that could qualify,” he said.

The succession process is unfolding amid heightened regional tensions following Israel’s military operations targeting Iranian infrastructure. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning on social media platform X last week, stating that any successor who attempts to “destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people” would be an “unequivocal target for elimination.”

“It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” Katz added, underscoring Israel’s determination to counter perceived threats from Iran’s leadership.

The death of Ayatollah Khamenei has prompted public mourning across Iran and in Shiite communities worldwide. Images from Magam in Jammu and Kashmir showed demonstrators carrying portraits of the late supreme leader during a mourning procession on March 4.

The situation remains fluid as Iranian authorities navigate this leadership transition amid domestic challenges and international pressure. The selection of a new supreme leader will likely shape Iran’s domestic and foreign policies for years to come, particularly regarding its nuclear program, relations with Western powers, and its stance toward regional rivals.

Political analysts note that Trump’s comments reflect a continuation of his administration’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran, suggesting that U.S.-Iran relations would remain contentious if he were to return to office. The ongoing military operations and leadership vacuum in Tehran present both challenges and potential opportunities for reshaping the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East.