United States President Donald Trump has warned that whoever succeeds Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei may struggle to remain in power without approval from Washington, as Tehran prepares to announce a new leader amid an escalating regional war.
Nine days into the conflict that resulted in Khamenei’s death, three members of Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts confirmed that the body had already chosen the country’s next supreme leader.
However, several hours after the announcement, the identity of the successor had not yet been made public.
Hossein Redaei, a member of the Assembly, said the organisation had gathered the necessary votes but decided against holding a public, in-person announcement due to the ongoing wartime situation.
Speaking during an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Trump insisted that the incoming Iranian leader would need the approval of the United States.
“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump said. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long.”
Trump had earlier rejected speculation that Khamenei’s 56-year-old son, Mojtaba Khamenei, might take over the role, describing him as an unacceptable “lightweight”.
Iran, however, quickly dismissed the comments.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the selection of a new supreme leader was strictly an internal matter and warned foreign powers against interfering in the country’s affairs.
Speaking on Meet the Press on NBC, Araghchi said Iran would “allow nobody to interfere in our domestic affairs,” and demanded that Trump apologise to people across the Middle East for what he described as a spiralling war in the region.
The growing conflict intensified overnight as Israeli forces carried out fresh strikes targeting strategic infrastructure in and around Tehran.
According to Iranian officials, Israeli warplanes struck five fuel facilities near the capital, killing at least four people and triggering massive fires that produced thick smoke across the city.
The attacks also disrupted fuel distribution in the Iranian capital, according to Tehran’s governor who spoke to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
Residents reported that a dark haze covered much of Tehran, a city of about 10 million people, blocking sunlight and filling the air with the smell of burning fuel. Authorities warned that the smoke could be toxic and urged residents to remain indoors.
One resident described the situation in a message sent to relatives abroad.
“The blaze has been burning for more than 12 hours. The air has become unbreathable,” the 35-year-old said. “I can’t even go out to do daily shopping.
Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it still had sufficient supplies to continue missile and drone operations for up to six months.
Explosions were reported over Israel’s commercial centre, Tel Aviv, after the Israeli military said it detected incoming missiles fired from Iran. Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom, reported that at least six people were wounded in the attack.
Trump also declined to rule out deploying U.S. ground troops to Iran but maintained that the war was already close to being won.
An IRGC spokesman, Ali Mohammad Naini, said Iran had so far deployed only first- and second-generation missiles but warned that more advanced long-range missiles could be used in the coming days.
The conflict has begun affecting other countries in the Middle East.
Saudi authorities said a projectile strike in the province of Al-Kharj killed two people and injured 12 others. Earlier, Saudi Arabia reported intercepting several drones headed toward targets including the diplomatic district of Riyadh.
In Kuwait, officials said an attack struck fuel tanks at the country’s international airport, while Bahrain reported damage to a desalination plant.
In a rare televised address, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa condemned Iran’s actions, describing them as “unprecedented aggression”.
Rising Casualties
Iran’s health ministry said the conflict had killed at least 1,200 civilians and wounded nearly 10,000 others, though the figures could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s health minister reported that Israeli air strikes in the country had killed at least 394 people since the fighting expanded into the country a week ago, including 83 children and 42 women.
The Israeli military also confirmed that two Israeli soldiers were killed during clashes in southern Lebanon.
Analysts say there is still no clear path to ending the war, which U.S. and Israeli officials believe could last for several more weeks.
Trump suggested that Iran’s economy could eventually be rebuilt if a leader acceptable to Washington replaces the late Khamenei.
Global powers such as China and Russia have largely avoided direct involvement despite their close ties with Tehran.
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi said the conflict “should never have happened” and warned that the international community must prevent the world from returning to what he called “the law of the jungle.”
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV called for an end to the violence, praying that “the roar of the bombs may cease, the weapons may fall silent, and a space for dialogue may open.”
