Trump warned Iran’s next supreme leader must get US approval

US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning regarding Iran’s upcoming leadership transition, saying the country’s next supreme leader will be hard-pressed to stay in power without Washington’s approval.

His remarks came as Iranian authorities prepared to publicly announce the successor to Ali Khamenei, the longtime supreme leader who was killed nine days ago when a US and Israeli strike hit his home compound, an event that dramatically escalated tensions and pushed the Middle East into deeper conflict.

Members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts said they had held a closed meeting to elect a new supreme leader. Although they confirmed that a decision had been taken, they declined to reveal the selected individuals, citing that an official announcement would be made at a later date.

Speculation in Iran suggests that Khamenei’s son, 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, could be the person appointed to succeed his father.

Trump has previously expressed his opposition to the idea and described the younger Khamenei as unsuitable for the role. Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, he reiterated that Washington should have influence over the decision.

“He’s going to have to get our approval,” Trump said, referring to Iran’s next leader. “If he doesn’t get our approval, he won’t last long.”

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Iranian officials quickly rejected the notion that foreign powers could influence the country’s leadership process. Earlier on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed that the choice was Tehran’s.

He said the government “will not allow anyone to interfere in our internal affairs”.

While appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, Araghchi also called on Trump to acknowledge the consequences of escalating regional conflicts, and said the US president should “apologize to the people of the region” for the escalating war.

Mojtaba Khamenei is widely seen as a hard-line conservative in Iranian politics, in part because of his close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful military and ideological force in the Islamic Republic.

Meanwhile, Israel signaled it would not hesitate to target Iran’s leadership in the future if tensions persist. Israeli military officials warned any new top leaders that “we will not hesitate to target you.”

Last night’s operation underscored Israel’s reach beyond its borders. Israeli forces reportedly carried out airstrikes on fuel depots around Tehran and attacked a hotel in Beirut believed to be housing suspected Iranian commanders.

According to an Iranian oil executive, warplanes hit five oil facilities near Tehran, leaving at least four people dead and filling parts of the capital with thick, acrid smoke.