Trump Warns Iran's Next Supreme Leader 'Won't Last Long' Without US Approval

 

US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning on Sunday, declaring that Iran's incoming supreme leader would not survive long in power without explicit approval from Washington.

In an interview with ABC News, Trump stated: "He’s going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn’t get approval from us he’s not going to last long." He emphasized the need to avoid repeated interventions, saying, "We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a president like me that’s not going to do it."

The comments come amid ongoing conflict in the region, following the killing of longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli strikes that marked the start of escalated hostilities involving the US and Israel. Iran's Assembly of Experts — the clerical body responsible for selecting the supreme leader — has reportedly reached a decision on a successor, though no official name has been publicly confirmed yet. Speculation has centered on figures like Mojtaba Khamenei, the slain leader's son, whom Trump previously dismissed as a "lightweight" and "unacceptable."

Trump has repeatedly asserted that the US must play a role in Iran's leadership transition, drawing parallels to past US involvement in other countries. He indicated openness to working with remnants of the current regime if it leads to a "good leader" who could bring stability and prevent nuclear proliferation.

Iranian officials pushed back strongly. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated earlier that the succession decision belongs solely to Iran, vowing no foreign interference in its domestic affairs.

The remarks underscore deepening US involvement in the crisis, now in its second week, with Trump declining to rule out further military options to shape Iran's future direction. Critics have questioned the feasibility and implications of such demands on a sovereign nation's internal processes.

As Tehran prepares any announcement, the international community watches closely for how — or if — Iran's leadership transition unfolds amid the ongoing war.

(End of draft. Sources: ABC News interview, March 8, 2026; reports from Times of Israel, Fox News, Reuters, and others.)

This version is factual, cites the core quote, provides context from the ongoing events (Khamenei's death, war, potential successor), and includes Iran's response for balance. You can expand with more details or quotes as needed.