U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he believes he must personally be involved in the selection of Iran’s next supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In an interview with Axios, Trump said Iran would be “wasting time” if it attempted to appoint a successor without U.S. participation.

Trump acknowledged that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is being viewed as a possible successor but declared that he would not accept him. He described Mojtaba as weak and said he was unacceptable to him, emphasizing that the United States wants someone who can bring harmony and peace to Iran.

The president further warned that he would reject any new Iranian leader who continues the policies of the previous leadership, cautioning that such continuity could lead to renewed conflict with the United States within five years.