US President Donald Trump, who likes to keep people on his toes about his end game in Iran, is now letting the world know what he wants, which is to choose who will rule Iran now, the BBC reported.
The development comes nearly a week after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting the country’s military and naval forces, killing several of its leaders, including dozens of other clerics and commanders, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump wants a “great, acceptable leader” for Iran.
Trump made it clear in his latest remarks that he would choose a “great and acceptable leader” until Tehran’s “unconditional surrender.”
In an interview with Axios and Reuters, Trump said, “I have to be involved in appointments, like with Delcy (Rodriguez) in Venezuela.” Trump has repeatedly referred to the military action the US took in Caracas on January 3, where its forces captured Nicolas Maduro and no casualties were reported, calling it a “perfect scenario” for Iran.
Trump’s Iranian Regime Change Aim to Disappoint Iranians?
Trump’s latest statements seem to underscore that his current goal is not regime change, but regime change altogether, although he is known to fluctuate in his views from day to day. His stance will further disappoint Iranians who had hoped the end of Khamenei would pave the way for the fall of the Islamic Republic.
Is Iran appointing a leader who will work with the US differently?
But that seems impossible, especially for a clerical regime rooted in a deep distrust of the US. Among the country’s most ideological elements is an intense hostility to the US, which has long been labeled the “Great Satan”. But whether Iran’s top leadership will be willing to choose a top cleric who would be willing to work with Washington in a different way remains to be seen.
According to the report, Tehran’s political establishment has long been divided between reformers and pragmatists on the one hand, and hardliners who call themselves principalists for their commitment to defending the revolution on the other. Despite these differences, both parties share a common goal of preserving the system that keeps them in power.
Khamenei’s son is “unacceptable” to me: Trump
The report suggests that Trump appears to have made up his mind about Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, a hardliner who is now considered a candidate to succeed his father. Trump said: “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me.” Tehran’s reaction to his remarks was predictable. The BBC, citing Mehr News Agency, said members of the interim leadership council, which is currently in charge until a new leader is announced, said Trump’s comments reflected “the depth of the enemy’s insidious objectives in this battle”.
Will Khamenei be Iran’s last supreme leader?
After Khamenei’s death, there was a growing assumption that Khamenei would be Iran’s last true supreme leader, the final figure with sufficient legitimacy and authority to act as the ultimate decision-maker. Currently, it is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an establishment created in 1979 to protect and preserve the Islamic Republic, which now controls all levers of power, from security to the economy.
Several media reports also claim that the 88-member Assembly of Experts could opt for a council of leaders rather than a single supreme leader at this tumultuous time.
It is unclear whether Khamenei’s successor will be announced, as Israel has made it clear that whoever emerges next will also be a “clear target.”
