*Exclusive: Trump says he must be involved in picking Iran's next leader*
Barak Ravid,
<https://archive.fo/o/Yccv4/https:/www.axios.com/authors/barak_ravid>Zachary
Basu <https://archive.fo/o/Yccv4/https:/www.axios.com/authors/zbasu>,
https://www.axios.com/2026/03/05/iran-leader-trump-khamenei
<https://www.axios.com/2026/03/05/iran-leader-trump-khamenei>
President Trump
<https://archive.fo/o/Yccv4/https:/www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump>told
Axios in an interview Thursday that he needs to be personally involved
in selecting Iran's next leader — just as he was in Venezuela.
* Trump revealed this exclusively in an eight-minute phone call — his
second conversation
<https://archive.fo/o/Yccv4/https:/www.axios.com/2026/02/28/trump-iran-war-israel-off-ramps>with
us to explain his war planning.
*Why it matters:*Trump acknowledged that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of
assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei
<https://archive.fo/o/Yccv4/https:/www.axios.com/2026/02/28/iran-khamenei-killed-israel>,
is the most likely successor — while making clear he finds that outcome
unacceptable.
* For several days, the Iranian regime has postponed the announcement
of the new supreme leader. But statements by Iranian politicians on
Thursday suggested an announcement could be imminent.
*What he's saying:*"They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a
lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy
[Rodriguez] in Venezuela," Trump said.
* He added that he refuses to accept a new Iranian leader who would
continue Khamenei's policies, which he said would force the U.S.
back to war "in five years."
* "Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will
bring harmony and peace to Iran," Trump said.
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