President Donald Trump said he wants to be involved in choosing the next supreme leader of Iran during remarks in Dubai on Thursday.
The statement marks a significant escalation in rhetoric as the U.S. and Israel engage in a direct military campaign against the Islamic Republic. By calling for a role in selecting Iran's top leadership, Trump is signaling a shift toward an explicit policy of regime change.
The comments came on the sixth day [1] of the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign. Trump said the current state of Iran is chaotic and lacks clear leadership, which he believes complicates the resolution of the conflict.
"We don’t know who the hell we’re dealing with," Trump said.
He argued that the U.S. should have a hand in the transition of power to ensure stability in the region. Trump said, "I should be involved in choosing Iran’s next supreme leader."
During the address in the United Arab Emirates, Trump said that "nobody wants to be a leader" in the current Iranian climate. He suggested that the existing power structure is failing and that a new direction is necessary for the country.
"It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran," Trump said.
Trump's proposal for U.S. involvement in the selection of a foreign head of state departs from traditional diplomatic norms, even for the current military context. He framed the need for new leadership as a pragmatic requirement to address the ongoing war ripples across the region.
“"I should be involved in choosing Iran’s next supreme leader."”
Trump's call for regime change and a direct role in selecting Iran's supreme leader indicates a move toward an 'active transition' strategy. Rather than focusing solely on military degradation of Iranian capabilities, the administration is signaling that a political overhaul of the Iranian government is the primary objective for ending the current conflict.
