Here's What Trump Has Said About Iran's New Supreme Leader

Callum SutherlandMon, March 9, 2026 at 5:21 PM UTC

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Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, son of former Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, attends a demonstration in Tehran on May 31, 2019. Credit - Morteza Nikoubazl—Getty Images

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Ali Khamenei who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes, has been chosen as Iran’s new Supreme Leader—a decision that will likely draw ire from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The appointment of Mojtaba, 56, who earned a reputation as a powerful figure behind the scenes of his father’s decades-long tenure, has seemingly only strengthened the Iranian regime’s resolve against the U.S. A slew of senior officials have vowed to continue fighting the widening war which has now entered its 10th day.

“We pledge that, in defense of the rights of the great Iranian nation, the advancement of national interests and security, and the realization of the lofty goals of the Islamic Revolution, we shall not falter for a moment,” said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shortly after the announcement.

“We will obey the commander-in-chief until the last drop of our ​blood,” read a statement from the defense council.

The hardline pledges of allegiance stand in stark opposition to Trump’s insistence for an “unconditional surrender” from Iran—a sentiment Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed on Sunday, stating that Iran will have “no choice” but to back down.

But some experts argue that the possibility of a more lenient approach from Iran is no longer on the horizon.

“If before there was even the slightest of chances that Mojtaba Khamenei might take the country down a path of major reforms, such as those initiated by the Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman, which would include détente with America, it’s now impossible,” an analyst told TIME, arguing that Mojtaba's loss of his father, mother, wife, and a child during the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes has filled him “with an undying desire for revenge.”

The selection of Mojtaba also goes against Trump's demand that Iran must choose a successor that’s agreeable to the U.S.

“I’m not going through this to end up with another Khamenei,” Trump told TIME on Wednesday, when reports were circulating that Ali’s second son was the favorite to succeed him. “They can select, but we have to make sure it’s somebody that’s reasonable to the United States.”

Trump reportedly told Fox News he is “not happy” following the announcement of Mojtaba's appointment.

The U.S. President previously argued that Mojtaba wasn’t a viable choice to lead Iran and indicated that the U.S. wouldn’t support that line of succession. Here’s a breakdown of what he has said:

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Trump calls Mojtaba an “unacceptable” choice

“Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump told Axios on Thursday.

He wanted to be actively involved in the selection of Iran’s new leader, similar to the situation that unfolded after U.S. forces captured Venezuela’s fallen President Nicolás Maduro in January.

Trump doubled down on the position he made clear to TIME, expressing his refusal to accept a new charge that will simply continue the former Ayatollah's hardline policies.

Accusing Iran of “wasting” time on Mojtaba, he labelled the second-born son a “lightweight.”

Trump warns he doesn’t want the U.S. to have to return to Iran in the future

In another interview, Trump laid out the reasoning behind his desire to be involved in the selection process of Iran’s new leader, arguing it’s “so we don't have to go back every five years and do this again and again.”

“We want somebody that's going to be great for the people, great for the country,” he said Thursday, adding that Mojtaba was an unlikely choice.

While Trump said he doesn’t wish for the U.S. to have to return to Iran, he again failed to give a timeline as to when this current war might end.

“I would say it's moving along ahead of schedule, and much ​stronger than anybody would have ever expected,” he offered, in lieu of an expected end date.

Trump says the new Supreme Leader won’t “last long”

The U.S. President warned Sunday that a new leader “is not going to last long” if they are appointed without his prior approval.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,” he told ABC News.

Reiterating earlier remarks, Trump added: “We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a President like me that’s not going to do it.”

Contact us at letters@time.com.

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