Trump Threatens Iran’s New Leader

On March 8, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a threat against Iran, stating that any new Iranian leader not approved by the United States “will not last long.” Shortly afterward, Iran announced the appointment of its new supreme leader, sharply escalating regional tensions.

In an interview with ABC News, Trump claimed that Iran’s new leader “must be approved by us” and added that Washington could accept figures associated with Iran’s “old regime.” Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi responded firmly, stressing that the selection of Iran’s supreme leader is an internal matter and that no foreign interference will be tolerated.

According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, the Assembly of Experts of Iran elected Mojtaba Khamenei as the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran with an overwhelming majority.

The 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei is regarded as a conservative figure with close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Following the announcement, the IRGC issued a statement pledging full loyalty to the new supreme leader.