A man puts up a leaflet featuring an portrait of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iran on March 5, 2026. Credit - Majid Saeedi—Getty Images
Iran is reportedly delaying naming asuccessorto AyatollahAli Khamenei, the Supreme Leader killed over the weekend in U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, for security concerns as Israel has asserted that it will target whoever is instated, while President Donald Trump has doubled down on wanting to influence the selection.
Read More:The U.S. and Israeli War With Iran, Explained
TheNew York Timesreported, citing two unnamed Iranian officials, that while Khamenei's second-eldest son, 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, has emerged as the strongestcontender to take Tehran's top job, no one has been named out of fear that they will be targeted.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katzposted on social mediaon Wednesday that any leader appointed by Iran to succeed Ali Khamenei would be "an unequivocal target for elimination," adding that "it does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides."
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Mojtaba Khamenei has largely stayed away from the public eye but has close relations with Iran's administrators and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. But as his name has been floated, Trump has immediately voiced his rejection.
"They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight," Trumptold Axioson Thursday, adding that it would be "unacceptable" if the Iranian leadership picked Mojtaba Khamenei. "We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran."
Trump said that he had to be "involved in the appointment, like with Delcy in Venezuela," referring toDelcy Rodríguez, who became Venezuela's acting President with Trump's blessing after the U.S.captured former leader Nicolás Maduroin anextraordinary military operationearlier this year.
As for Iran, Trump toldNBC Newson Thursday that he'd want to remove the existing leadership structure. "We want to go in and clean out everything," he said. "We don't want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period. We want them to have a good leader. We have some people who I think would do a good job."
But the U.S. President has held off so far on naming his ideal pick. Speaking to TIME for itscover story published Thursday, Trump said his objective is to install in Iran a leader "that is rational and sane."
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