President Donald Trump said the United States must play a role in determining who becomes Iran’s next supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, arguing that the country needs a new direction after years of confrontation with Washington.

Speaking in an interview with Axios published Thursday, Trump said he intends to personally participate in the process of deciding Iran’s next leader and compared the situation to what he described as American involvement in Venezuela’s political leadership.

“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 told Axios.

Trump said Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the slain Iranian leader and a cleric closely tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, currently appears to be the leading contender to succeed his father. However, the president said he strongly opposes that possibility.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” he said.

Trump warned that if Iran’s leadership selects another figure who follows the hardline policies associated with the elder Khamenei, tensions between Tehran and Washington could escalate again in the near future.

“If they put someone like that in, we’ll be back at war in five years,” he said.

The comments come as Iran’s ruling clerical establishment considers its next steps after Khamenei was killed amid the escalating U.S.–Israeli military campaign against Tehran.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the body tasked with choosing the country’s supreme leader, has not yet named a successor, though officials have indicated that an announcement could come soon.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is widely seen as a leading candidate despite never having held elected office, and his potential appointment has raised concerns about the possibility of a hereditary-style succession within Iran’s political system.

{Matzav.com}