Trump criticizes Iran’s new Supreme Leader appointment

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump told Fox News he is "not happy" with the ascendance of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader.

The 57-year-old, long known for operating behind the scenes and maintaining close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was named over the weekend to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the war.

In a phone interview on Sunday, March 8, with Brian Kilmeade, co-host of Fox & Friends, the President voiced clear opposition to the transition. 

The remarks follow Trump's repeated assertions that he intends to be directly involved in approving any new leadership for the country during the ongoing military intervention.

New leader labeled an unacceptable lightweight

President Trump has been vocal in his criticism of the younger Khamenei, previously labeling him a "lightweight" in an interview with Axios.

He stated that such a choice would be "unacceptable" to lead Iran, comparing the necessary oversight to the US involvement in Venezuela’s leadership transition following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro.

The President emphasized that the "worst-case scenario" for US intervention would be for a leader "as bad as the previous person" to take control.

He warned that the United States is focused on preventing a leadership outcome that mirrors the previous regime's hostility.

Approval required for leadership to last

In a stark warning delivered to ABC News on Sunday, the President suggested that the role of the Iranian leader is currently a "very short one" without international backing.

He insisted that any individual assuming the position must receive formal approval from the United States.

"If he doesn't get approval from us, he's not going to last long," Trump stated. This ultimatum underscores the administration's policy that the reconstruction of Iran’s political edifice remains contingent on a leadership selection deemed "GREAT & ACCEPTABLE" by the US government.