Trump Wants to Pick Iran’s Next Leader
Donald Trump says he should help choose Iran’s next supreme leader. He wants someone in Iran’s government who is friendly to the United States. Trump also said he doesn’t want Ali Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, to take over. He called Mojtaba a “lightweight” and insisted, “I need to be included in the appointment.”
The Venezuelan Model: Delcy Rodriguez
Who is Delcy Rodriguez?
Trump keeps talking about Delcy Rodriguez from Venezuela. She became president after Nicolas Maduro was kidnapped by U.S. forces. Before that, she was vice president. Under her leadership, Venezuela let the U.S. sell its oil and stopped sending oil to Cuba. Trump says this was “incredible” because the U.S. attacked but kept the government running.
Trump’s Ideal Leader
Trump told reporters he wants to find an “Iranian Rodriguez.” He wants a leader in Iran who acts like Rodriguez did—following U.S. wishes. He believes this would make Iran more cooperative without needing a full war.
Why Iran Isn’t Like Venezuela
Religious Rules for Iran’s Leader
In Iran, the supreme leader must be a top religious scholar. This is a big difference from Venezuela, where the president doesn’t need religious qualifications. Iran’s system is based on Islamic law, so the leader has to be a cleric with deep knowledge.
Ongoing War with the U.S. and Israel
Right now, Iran is fighting a growing war with the United States and Israel. This is very different from Venezuela, where the U.S. did a quick operation and Maduro was gone. In Iran, the conflict is active and widespread, making it harder for the U.S. to influence things directly.
Experts Doubt Trump’s Plan
No Iranian Rodriguez in Sight
Trita Parsi from the Quincy Institute says Trump is actually asking for Iran to surrender. He thinks Trump only wants a leader who will obey his demands, like Rodriguez did. But Parsi adds, “It does not appear that he will find this person within the existing Iranian system.” The current system is built on resistance to U.S. control.
Confusing Messages from Trump
Trump used to call for “freedom” in Iran and urged people to rise up. Now he wants to install a friendly leader. This switch shows he’s more focused on controlling Iran’s government than on democracy. He also hasn’t ruled out sending U.S. troops into Iran.
How Iran Picks Its Supreme Leader
The Assembly of Experts
Iran’s supreme leader is chosen by a group called the Assembly of Experts. It has 88 members who are elected. They look for a qualified religious scholar to lead. This process is supposed to be independent and based on Islamic criteria, not foreign pressure.
Attack on the Assembly Building
Recently, Israel bombed the Assembly’s building in Qom, a holy city. Some reports said the council was meeting to pick a new leader during the attack. But Iran denied this, saying the building was empty and no decision has been made yet. The current leader, Khamenei, is 86 years old.
Who Could Succeed Khamenei?
Possible successors include Mojtaba Khamenei, Hassan Khomeini (grandson of the revolution’s leader), and cleric Alireza Arafi. Trump claimed some candidates were killed in early U.S.-Israeli strikes, but these three are still alive. However, with war raging and the Assembly’s work disrupted, the future is uncertain. Analysts believe Trump’s push for a “Rodriguez-like” figure clashes with Iran’s religious and political reality.
