United States President Donald Trump has said that most of the individuals the US previously considered as potential future leaders of Iran are now dead, as he cast fresh doubt on the prospects of exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi leading the country.
Trump made the remarks on Tuesday during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, amid continued fallout from US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
“Well, most of the people we had in mind are dead,” Trump said. “We had some in mind from that group that is dead. And now we have another group.
They may be dead also, based on reports. So I guess you have a third wave coming in.”
He declined to name any specific individual being considered as an alternative leader, suggesting instead that someone already inside Iran “would be more appropriate.”
Pahlavi, 65, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, has said he is “uniquely placed” to lead a transitional government and has expressed willingness to return to Iran for the first time in 47 years.
However, Trump questioned whether the Iranian public would accept his leadership.
“I don’t know whether or not his country would accept his leadership,” Trump said. “Certainly if they would, that would be fine with me.”
He added that while “some people like him,” his administration had not “been thinking too much about that” and was uncertain how Pahlavi “would play within his own country.”
Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the Washington, D.C. area, is scheduled to address the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas later this month.
In a recent interview, he said Iranians trust him because he cannot be associated with the 1979 Islamic Revolution or the current regime.
Aftermath of Strikes
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials were killed during the initial wave of US and Israeli strikes that began on February 28.
Trump confirmed that another strike targeting surviving Iranian leaders reportedly took place on Tuesday.
The 1979 revolution that toppled Pahlavi’s father, the last Shah of Iran, was led largely by Ruhollah Khomeini and united a broad coalition of opposition groups dissatisfied with the monarchy’s rule and policies.
Since the conflict began, more than 1,700 targets in Iran have been struck, according to US Central Command.
The ongoing military operations have significantly reshaped Iran’s political and military leadership, creating uncertainty over who might emerge to lead the country next.
While Pahlavi has said he does not expect formal endorsement from foreign leaders, he maintains that “millions of Iranians” are calling for change.
However, Trump’s comments suggest that Washington has yet to settle on any clear alternative leadership figure as the conflict continues.
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