Tensions Rise as Trump Demands a Role in Selecting Iran's New Leader
Escalation in the Middle East intensified in the wake of the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. United States President Donald Trump issued a stark warning that whoever succeeds Tehran’s leadership would not endure long without Washington’s consent.
Nine days into the conflict that killed Khamenei, Iran’s Assembly of Experts confirmed it had chosen a successor but had not yet announced the name publicly. Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, the late leader’s son, has been widely tipped as the strongest candidate, although Trump previously dismissed him as a ‘light’ figure unacceptable. ‘He must obtain our approval,’ Trump told ABC News on Sunday. ‘If he does not obtain our approval, he will not last long.’
Iran’s senior diplomat Abbas Araghchi responded that determining the leader is Iran’s sovereign right and that they will not permit anyone to interfere in their internal affairs. He told NBC’s Meet the Press that Trump should apologise to people in the region for the ongoing war.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Israeli air strikes overnight targeted fuel facilities around Tehran and a hotel in Beirut, Lebanon. The Beirut strike reportedly killed five IRGC commanders, including three elements of the Quds Force. Explosions at five oil facilities in Tehran produced a toxic smoke that enveloped the city of about ten million inhabitants. Local authorities urged residents to stay indoors due to the dangerous air quality; a 35-year-old Tehran resident told a text message correspondent that ‘the fire has lasted more than 12 hours, the air is unbreathable, I can't even go shopping.’
Despite the bombardment, the IRGC said it has enough stockpiles to sustain drone and missile warfare for six more months. IRGC spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini warned that ‘long-range missiles’ would be deployed in the coming days.
Civilian casualties continue to mount. Iran’s Health Ministry reported at least 1,200 civilians killed and 10,000 injured since the clash began, though independent verification remains limited. In Lebanon, at least 394 people have died in Israeli air strikes in the past week.
Analysts caution that there is no clear avenue to ending the conflict, which could last a month or longer. In the midst of diplomatic deadlock, Pope Leo XIV offered prayers that the sound of bombs would cease and that room for dialogue would open.
Separately, the Assembly of Experts formally elected Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader, replacing Ali Khamenei. The reports note his profile and potential impact on the IRGC and global stability.