US President Donald Trump has suggested he wants a role in deciding who will lead Iran after the killing of its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a stance that is likely to deepen tensions with the country’s clerical leadership during an escalating war.
Trump, who has often left observers guessing about his objectives in the conflict, has now indicated that he wants influence over the selection of Iran’s next leader following the deaths of Khamenei and several senior commanders during joint US–Israeli strikes.
Speaking in recent interviews, Trump said he would only support the appointment of what he described as “a great and acceptable leader” after Iran agreed to what he called unconditional surrender.
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The remarks point to an ambition not simply to defeat Iran militarily but to shape its political future – an idea that Iran’s leadership has long rejected as foreign interference.
Iran’s leadership faces pressure amid war
The Islamic Republic’s governing system is built around religious authority and a network of powerful institutions developed since the 1979 revolution. Despite internal rivalries between reformists, pragmatists and hardline factions, the ruling elite has historically united around a single priority: preserving the political system that keeps it in power.
Even under heavy military pressure, there is little sign that this calculation has changed.
Hardline groups appear to retain influence in Tehran, and officials have given no indication that they would consider accepting a leader chosen or endorsed by Washington.
Trump’s comments have also disappointed some Iranian opposition figures who had hoped the death of the supreme leader might lead to the collapse of the Islamic Republic. Instead, the US president’s language suggests he is aiming for a transformation within the existing political structure rather than its complete removal.
Tehran rejects outside interference
Iranian officials quickly condemned Trump’s suggestion that the United States could influence the succession.
State media carried statements from members of the country’s interim leadership council accusing Washington of trying to impose its will on Iran’s internal affairs.
“The great Iranian nation will never allow anyone to interfere in its right to determine its own destiny,” the council said, according to the conservative Mehr News Agency.
The reaction reflects the deep suspicion of Western involvement that has shaped Iranian politics for decades. That mistrust is rooted partly in the 1953 Iranian coup d'état, when the intelligence agencies of the United States and Britain helped overthrow Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and restore Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to power as shah.
The monarchy’s eventual collapse during the Iranian Revolution reinforced anti-Western sentiment that still shapes the country’s political identity.
Uncertainty over succession
Iran’s formal process for selecting a supreme leader is usually secretive even in stable times. The responsibility lies with the Assembly of Experts, a body of senior clerics tasked with choosing and supervising the country’s top religious authority.
The current war has made the process even less clear. Reports suggest that meetings scheduled in Tehran and Qom were disrupted after nearby buildings were struck during the conflict, forcing participants to communicate remotely.
One possible successor widely discussed in Iranian media is Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son and a figure seen as closely aligned with the country’s security establishment. Trump has already indicated that he opposes that option, saying the younger Khamenei would be unacceptable as Iran’s next ruler.
Analysts say Mojtaba Khamenei is closely linked to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the military and security force created to defend the Islamic Republic. The organisation has grown into one of the most influential institutions in Iran, controlling major economic assets as well as significant military power.
However, experts note that any candidate would also need the backing of the broader clerical establishment, where Mojtaba Khamenei’s support may be less secure.
Other names emerge
Several other figures have been mentioned as potential successors. Among them is Hassan Khomeini, a grandson of revolutionary founder Ruhollah Khomeini. Seen by some observers as relatively moderate within the clerical hierarchy, he has taken on a more visible role in recent years as tensions with the West intensified.
Another name occasionally raised is Alireza Arafi, a senior jurist who currently serves on Iran’s interim leadership council. But his background in religious scholarship rather than politics or security affairs may limit his chances during a period of conflict.
There are also suggestions that the Assembly of Experts could abandon the traditional model of a single supreme leader and instead appoint a leadership council to guide the country during the crisis.
Risks for any successor
Whoever ultimately emerges as Iran’s next leader would inherit a country under intense military and economic pressure. Israel has signalled that senior Iranian decision-makers could remain targets as long as hostilities continue, raising the stakes for anyone assuming power.
For now, the outcome remains uncertain. Iran’s internal deliberations are largely hidden from public view, and the war has further complicated an already opaque political process.
Yet Trump’s statements underline how deeply international forces have become intertwined with Iran’s future leadership. Whether Tehran’s rulers can preserve control over the succession – while resisting outside pressure – may prove one of the defining questions of the conflict.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 06.03 2026