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URLhttps://www.newsweek.com/trump-pick-iran-next-leader-war-ayatollah-death-11628269
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Meta TitleDonald Trump Plans to Pick Iran’s Next Leader - Newsweek
Meta DescriptionTrump says he must help choose Iran’s next leader, rejecting the late supreme leader’s son as unacceptable.
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President Donald Trump said he plans to play a direct role in choosing Iran’s next leader following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to an interview with Axios. Trump told the outlet Thursday he considers Mojtaba Khamenei, the slain leader’s son and a likely successor, to be “unacceptable.” The president compared the situation to Venezuela , saying he was personally involved in leadership decisions there and intends to be similarly engaged with Iran. Trump said the United States wants a new Iranian leader who would bring “harmony and peace,” warning that a continuation of the current path could lead to renewed conflict. The war in Iran widened again on Thursday as Israeli evacuation orders sent residents scrambling in Beirut, European governments rushed additional military assets into the Middle East, and global markets braced for further instability. Six days into the U.S.–Israeli bombing campaign, the war is spilling rapidly across borders, reshaping regional politics and alarming world leaders. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to work to evacuate citizens in the region . U.S. officials have said the goal of the operations against Iran has been to diminish the Middle Eastern nation's nuclear program and Navy, not regime change. When asked by reporters about who he would like to see rule Iran on Tuesday, Trump said, "Most of the people we had in mind are dead." Who Is the Current Leader of Iran? It's not clear exactly who will emerge as Iran's new leader, but Mojtaba Khamenei has been viewed as a contender. An 88-member council known as the Assembly of Experts will be tasked with picking the next leader. Others thought to be in the mix include Hassan Khomeini—the grandson of the first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini—and senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, Newsweek previously reported . Currently, a temporary council comprising Arafi , Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei is leading the country. Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei? Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is viewed as a potential replacement for his father. He was born in 1969 in the city of Mashhad, about 10 years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After the fall of the Shah, his family moved to Tehran. He fought in the Iran-Iraq war alongside Habib ibn Mazahir, the Associate d Press reported. He became an increasingly influential figure as his father took power in 1989 . The AP reported that U.S. diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks had described him as "the power behind the robes" and "widely viewed within the regime as a capable and forceful leader and manager who may someday succeed to at least a share of national leadership." He had also studied with religious clerics in Qom, creating relationships with religious leadership, The New York Times reported. Image placeholder President Donald Trump speaks at an event in the White House complex on March 4, 2026. | AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019 for allegedly working to "advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives." "The Supreme Leader has delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities to Mojataba Khamenei, who worked closely with the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and also the Basij Resistance Force (Basij) to advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives. The IRGC-QF is designated pursuant to Treasury’s counterterrorism authority (E.O. 13224) and as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, while the Basij is designated pursuant to both E.O. 13224 and Treasury’s human rights designation authority (E.O. 13553)," the U.S. Treasury wrote in a statement at the time. Why Is Iran Attacking Other Countries? Iran has launched strikes against several other countries in the Middle East since the U.S. and Israel struck it over the weekend. It has launched retaliatory strikes  on Israel and Gulf Arab allies hosting U.S. forces, including bases in Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. The United States and Israel struck Iran in a military operation dubbed Operation Epic Fury early Saturday morning after  failed talks between the U.S. and Iran  to address Iran’s nuclear program. Iran had declined to halt uranium enrichment, a major demand from the U.S. The strikes have continued in the days since and killed Ayatollah Khamenei. Trump said the strikes were intended to crush Iran’s  nuclear  and missile capabilities and urged Iranians to overthrow their leaders once the operation ends, telling them to “take over your government.” Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing a nuclear weapon and had engaged in diplomatic talks with the U.S. only days earlier to prevent military conflict. Trump has previously called for regime change in Iran. The U.S. launched strikes against Iran in June 2025, damaging three major nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. The president also referenced Iran’s recent bloody crackdown on protesters in the country in his speech, saying, “Iran is the world's number one state sponsor of terror and just recently killed tens of  thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested .” The Defense Intelligence Agency's 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment report concluded that Iran had not been producing a nuclear weapon. "Iran almost certainly is not producing nuclear weapons, but Iran has undertaken activities in recent years that better position it to produce them, if it chooses to do so. Since 2019, Iran conducted activities that exceed previous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) limits, including increasing the size and enrichment levels of its uranium stockpile, producing small quantities of uranium metal, restricting International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring to preJCPOA levels, and expanding uranium enrichment at its Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant," the report reads. The U.S. has signaled plans to strike deeper into Iran. Will Iran Attack the United States? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wrote in a memo reported by ABC News that a "large-scale physical attack" against the United States is "unlikely," but did warn of short-term threats. "In the short-term, we are most concerned that Iran-aligned hacktivists will conduct low-level cyber attacks against US networks, such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attacks," the memo reads. The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) fellow Benjaim Jensen wrote in a February 26 update that Iran could use cyberattacks to retaliate. Iran could "opt for a range of cyber operations, ranging from simple website defacement and promoting bots spreading regime propaganda to more sophisticated attacks against critical infrastructure," he wrote. Update 3/5/26, 1:43 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information. Image placeholder In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek , ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you. When you become a Newsweek Member , you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations.  Help keep the center courageous. Join today. Image placeholder
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![Did China Have A Secret Hand In The US-Iran Ceasefire? Everything We Know](https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/iran_b2041a.jpg?width=320&height=180&quality=60?width=120&height=68&quality=60) Did China Have A Secret Hand In The US-Iran Ceasefire? Everything We Know - ![Inside Look at an Exclusive Interview with Cuba’s President](https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ss.png?width=320&height=180&quality=60?width=120&height=68&quality=60) Inside Look at an Exclusive Interview with Cuba’s President - ![Leavitt Plays Down Fears About US Munition Shortage Amid Iran War](https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-03-05-12-19-01.mp4_.00_01_24_24.Still001.jpg?width=320&height=180&quality=60?width=120&height=68&quality=60) Leavitt Plays Down Fears About US Munition Shortage Amid Iran War By Andrew Stanton and Gabe Whisnant 125 Share [Newsweek is a Trust Project member](https://www.newsweek.com/editorial-guidelines) Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. *** President [Donald Trump](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/donald-trump) said he plans to play a direct role in choosing Iran’s next leader following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to an interview with Axios. Trump told the outlet Thursday he considers Mojtaba Khamenei, the [slain leader’s](https://www.newsweek.com/us-iran-strikes-iran-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamanei-killed-11598102) son and a likely successor, to be “unacceptable.” The president compared the situation to [Venezuela](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/venezuela), saying he was personally involved in leadership decisions there and intends to be similarly engaged with Iran. Trump said the United States wants a new Iranian leader who would bring “harmony and peace,” warning that a continuation of the current path could lead to renewed conflict. The [war in Iran](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-war-news-us-attack-trump-israel-updates-11623652) widened again on Thursday as Israeli evacuation orders sent residents scrambling in Beirut, European governments rushed additional military assets into the Middle East, and global markets braced for further instability. Six days into the U.S.–Israeli bombing campaign, the war is spilling rapidly across borders, reshaping regional politics and alarming world leaders. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to work to [evacuate citizens in the region](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-admin-gives-update-on-americans-evacuated-from-middle-east-11627892). U.S. officials have said the goal of the operations against Iran has been to diminish the Middle Eastern nation's nuclear program and Navy, not regime change. When asked by reporters about who he would like to see rule Iran on Tuesday, Trump said, "Most of the people we had in mind are dead." ## Who Is the Current Leader of Iran? Read More #### World [Donald Trump’s Iran Ceasefire Dealt Major Blow](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trumps-iran-ceasefire-dealt-major-blow-11801147) [Iran Responds to Donald Trump’s Ceasefire Offer](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-responds-two-week-trump-ceasefire-hormuz-11796562) [Will Iran War End Soon? Donald Trump Reveals Why US Troops Will Leave](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-iran-war-opponents-foolish-attacks-wind-down-11788046) [More Related Stories](https://www.newsweek.com/world) It's not clear exactly who will emerge as Iran's new leader, but Mojtaba Khamenei has been viewed as a contender. An 88-member council known as the Assembly of Experts will be tasked with picking the next leader. Others thought to be in the mix include Hassan Khomeini—the grandson of the first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini—and senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, [*Newsweek* previously reported](https://www.newsweek.com/who-iran-next-supreme-leader-likely-contenders-11600547). Currently, a temporary council [comprising Arafi](https://www.newsweek.com/who-is-ayatollah-alireza-arafi-what-to-know-about-irans-interim-leader-11601404), Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei is leading the country. ## Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei? Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is viewed as a potential replacement for his father. He was born in 1969 in the city of Mashhad, about 10 years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After the fall of the Shah, his family moved to Tehran. He fought in the Iran-Iraq war alongside Habib ibn Mazahir, the Associated Press reported. He became an increasingly influential figure as his father [took power in 1989](https://www.newsweek.com/how-khamenei-reshaped-middle-east-across-decades-of-iran-brutality-11599225). The AP reported that U.S. diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks had described him as "the power behind the robes" and "widely viewed within the regime as a capable and forceful leader and manager who may someday succeed to at least a share of national leadership." He had also studied with religious clerics in Qom, creating relationships with religious leadership, *The New York Times* reported. President Donald Trump speaks at an event in the White House complex on March 4, 2026. \| AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019 for allegedly working to "advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives." "The Supreme Leader has delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities to Mojataba Khamenei, who worked closely with the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and also the Basij Resistance Force (Basij) to advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives. The IRGC-QF is designated pursuant to Treasury’s counterterrorism authority (E.O. 13224) and as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, while the Basij is designated pursuant to both E.O. 13224 and Treasury’s human rights designation authority (E.O. 13553)," the U.S. Treasury wrote in a statement at the time. ## Why Is Iran Attacking Other Countries? Iran has launched strikes against several other countries in the Middle East since the U.S. and Israel struck it over the weekend. It [has launched retaliatory strikes](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-launches-retaliatory-strikes-on-us-targets-qatar-kuwait-saudi-arabia-11596778) on Israel and Gulf Arab allies hosting U.S. forces, including bases in Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. The United States and Israel struck Iran in a military operation dubbed Operation Epic Fury early Saturday morning after [failed talks between the U.S. and Iran](https://www.newsweek.com/why-trump-attacked-iran-what-we-know-11597987) to address Iran’s nuclear program. Iran had declined to halt uranium enrichment, a major demand from the U.S. The strikes have continued in the days since and killed Ayatollah Khamenei. Trump said the strikes were intended to crush Iran’s [nuclear](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/nuclear) and missile capabilities and urged Iranians to overthrow their leaders once the operation ends, telling them to “take over your government.” Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing a nuclear weapon and had engaged in diplomatic talks with the U.S. only days earlier to prevent military conflict. Trump has previously called for regime change in Iran. The U.S. launched strikes against Iran in June 2025, damaging three major nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. The president also referenced Iran’s recent bloody crackdown on protesters in the country in his speech, saying, “Iran is the world's number one state sponsor of terror and just recently killed tens of [thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested](https://www.newsweek.com/cia-makes-offer-to-iranians-as-protests-kick-off-again-11579263).” The Defense Intelligence Agency's 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment report concluded that Iran had not been producing a nuclear weapon. "Iran almost certainly is not producing nuclear weapons, but Iran has undertaken activities in recent years that better position it to produce them, if it chooses to do so. Since 2019, Iran conducted activities that exceed previous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) limits, including increasing the size and enrichment levels of its uranium stockpile, producing small quantities of uranium metal, restricting International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring to preJCPOA levels, and expanding uranium enrichment at its Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant," the report reads. The U.S. has signaled plans to strike deeper into Iran. ## Will Iran Attack the United States? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wrote in a memo reported by ABC News that a "large-scale physical attack" against the United States is "unlikely," but did warn of short-term threats. "In the short-term, we are most concerned that Iran-aligned hacktivists will conduct low-level cyber attacks against US networks, such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attacks," the memo reads. The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) fellow Benjaim Jensen wrote in a February 26 update that Iran could use cyberattacks to retaliate. Iran could "opt for a range of cyber operations, ranging from simple website defacement and promoting bots spreading regime propaganda to more sophisticated attacks against critical infrastructure," he wrote. *Update 3/5/26, 1:43 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.* > In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At *Newsweek*, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you. > > When you [become a Newsweek Member](https://www.newsweek.com/subscribe?utm_campaign=inlineCTAv2), you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. 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Post with kindness. Read our guidelines [here](https://www.newsweek.com/community-guidelines) ![Jump to log in or sign Up](https://cdn.viafoura.net/assets/defaultavatar.913f94a2fa72a280b0374131f1c9b175.png) All Comments125 MOST LIKED **0** ### All Comments 1. #### Comment by Freda Josephine Baker. FJ Freda Josephine Baker Member March 5, 2026 What could possibly go wrong? The last time the US picked a leader for Iran in 1953, it ended up with a revolution that gave us the Ayatollahs reply 9 replies 14 0 share report 7 7 older replies show older replies - #### Reply by jon\_lippsmeyer. jo jon\_lippsmeyer Member March 8, 2026 Reply to Freda Josephine Baker The felon is a loser, now so is the econmy, and are all who will not see it; ain't no debate worth having on that as soon even Cage will see and feel it. reply 1 0 share report - #### Reply by Cagey\_. Ca Cagey\_ March 8, 2026 Reply to Freda Josephine Baker Ab is irrelevant, not just ab opinions. reply 0 1 share report 2. #### Comment by shazza290. sh shazza290 March 5, 2026 Trump is so out of his depth. Bibi says jump, Trump says how high. reply 1 reply 12 0 share report 0 0 older replies show older replies - #### Reply by T4MePuhlease. T4 T4MePuhlease March 5, 2026 Reply to shazza290 Or 'woof!'. reply 2 0 share report 3. #### Comment by BillySmith. Bi BillySmith March 5, 2026 Kristi Noem needs a new gig… reply 1 reply 12 0 share report 0 0 older replies show older replies - #### Reply by jtaylorla. jt jtaylorla Member March 5, 2026 Reply to BillySmith Oh for a minute there I thought you said "wig". reply 6 0 share report 4. #### Comment by butch\_goodwin. bu butch\_goodwin Member March 5, 2026 Remember, they elected him. That can change in 242 days and 13 hours Have you noticed. DJT attacked Iran without direct provocation. The News cycle shifted. DJT is off the headlines about his Epstein involvement. Isn't that quite a coincidence? DJT I believe has no idea what he is doing in Iran. I do not believe he actually understands the country or its political/religous/military blend. There is no leader in Iran, right DJT? Then how is the government of Iran still functioning? Then who is targeting and controlling these drones and missiles? DJT what gives you the right to be involved in choosing a new leader for Iran. What form of government will they have? DJT what's the plan? Read more reply 3 replies 11 0 share report 1 1 older reply show older replies - #### Reply by butch\_goodwin. bu butch\_goodwin Member March 5, 2026 Reply to this message The problem too DJT thinks there is a centralized structure. The people at State that could advise him have either quit or been fired, These are career people that do not serve an administration. They serve the country. These are the very people that DJT characterized as part of the swamp. So DJT you are going to make some major avoidable mistakes. The answers are not in the briefing notes you get that you do not read and dismiss. The answers can now be found in the private sector or teaching at GW or UWV. reply 1 reply 3 0 share report - #### Reply by Dgpdgp. Dg Dgpdgp March 6, 2026 Reply to butch\_goodwin He would not seek their input anyway. He knows EVERYTHING\! reply 0 0 share report 5. #### Comment by dalmont37. da dalmont37 Member March 5, 2026 No new wars. We destroyed their nuclear infrastructure. They were an immenent threat. I'm not in the Epstein files (and even being interested in them is some conspiracy). This is not a war. All the shifts in narrative leading to action against Venezuela and now Iran. How many lies until America has had enough and we just reclaim our country from this administration? reply 3 replies 10 0 share report 1 1 older reply show older replies - #### Reply by dalmont37. da dalmont37 Member March 5, 2026 Reply to this message I agree. Along with Kamala's "I would do everything the same." It's absurd that she's currently the frontrunner. reply 2 0 share report - #### Reply by Won'tGetFooledAgain. Wo Won'tGetFooledAgain March 5, 2026 Reply to this message Whataboutism alert\! reply 6 0 share report 6. #### Comment by Porifera. Po Porifera March 5, 2026 Although Trump and Hegseth originally said that Iran's nuclear program had been obliterated, one justification for launching this illegal war was that they are now 2 weeks away from having the capability to build a bomb. The mere fact that the term "2 weeks" was invoked should make us skeptical. reply 10 0 share report 0 0 older replies show older replies 7. #### Comment by Giveret Dvar. GD Giveret Dvar March 5, 2026 Translation: "It has to be somebody with whom my family can do business and who will further enrich my family." reply 10 0 share report 0 0 older replies show older replies 8. #### Comment by tafugate. ta tafugate March 5, 2026 i was wrong. at first i'm laughing at the prospect of iran allowing trump to pick their next leader. but russia was actively choosing our next president. so sometimes i mistakenly overestimate man's ability to think for himself. and then i come here. reply 4 replies 9 0 share report 2 2 older replies show older replies - #### Reply by Freda Josephine Baker. FJ Freda Josephine Baker Member March 8, 2026 Reply to william\_lee Would you like some dressing for that word salad? reply 0 0 share report - #### Reply by william\_lee. wi william\_lee March 9, 2026 Reply to william\_lee I'm sorry you can't follow middle-school-level sentence structure, but if you're asking me to take it down towards the pre-K level, my answer is simple: no. Try harder. reply 0 0 share report 9. #### Comment by JoeJohnson. Jo JoeJohnson March 5, 2026 The only way Trump could possibly pick a successor is to sign on for a forever war. He really thinks he's king of the world. reply 9 0 share report 0 0 older replies show older replies 10. #### Comment by Freda Josephine Baker. 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President [Donald Trump](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/donald-trump) said he plans to play a direct role in choosing Iran’s next leader following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to an interview with Axios. Trump told the outlet Thursday he considers Mojtaba Khamenei, the [slain leader’s](https://www.newsweek.com/us-iran-strikes-iran-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamanei-killed-11598102) son and a likely successor, to be “unacceptable.” The president compared the situation to [Venezuela](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/venezuela), saying he was personally involved in leadership decisions there and intends to be similarly engaged with Iran. Trump said the United States wants a new Iranian leader who would bring “harmony and peace,” warning that a continuation of the current path could lead to renewed conflict. The [war in Iran](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-war-news-us-attack-trump-israel-updates-11623652) widened again on Thursday as Israeli evacuation orders sent residents scrambling in Beirut, European governments rushed additional military assets into the Middle East, and global markets braced for further instability. Six days into the U.S.–Israeli bombing campaign, the war is spilling rapidly across borders, reshaping regional politics and alarming world leaders. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to work to [evacuate citizens in the region](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-admin-gives-update-on-americans-evacuated-from-middle-east-11627892). U.S. officials have said the goal of the operations against Iran has been to diminish the Middle Eastern nation's nuclear program and Navy, not regime change. When asked by reporters about who he would like to see rule Iran on Tuesday, Trump said, "Most of the people we had in mind are dead." ## Who Is the Current Leader of Iran? It's not clear exactly who will emerge as Iran's new leader, but Mojtaba Khamenei has been viewed as a contender. An 88-member council known as the Assembly of Experts will be tasked with picking the next leader. Others thought to be in the mix include Hassan Khomeini—the grandson of the first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini—and senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, [*Newsweek* previously reported](https://www.newsweek.com/who-iran-next-supreme-leader-likely-contenders-11600547). Currently, a temporary council [comprising Arafi](https://www.newsweek.com/who-is-ayatollah-alireza-arafi-what-to-know-about-irans-interim-leader-11601404), Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei is leading the country. ## Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei? Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is viewed as a potential replacement for his father. He was born in 1969 in the city of Mashhad, about 10 years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After the fall of the Shah, his family moved to Tehran. He fought in the Iran-Iraq war alongside Habib ibn Mazahir, the Associated Press reported. He became an increasingly influential figure as his father [took power in 1989](https://www.newsweek.com/how-khamenei-reshaped-middle-east-across-decades-of-iran-brutality-11599225). The AP reported that U.S. diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks had described him as "the power behind the robes" and "widely viewed within the regime as a capable and forceful leader and manager who may someday succeed to at least a share of national leadership." He had also studied with religious clerics in Qom, creating relationships with religious leadership, *The New York Times* reported. President Donald Trump speaks at an event in the White House complex on March 4, 2026. \| AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019 for allegedly working to "advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives." "The Supreme Leader has delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities to Mojataba Khamenei, who worked closely with the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and also the Basij Resistance Force (Basij) to advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives. The IRGC-QF is designated pursuant to Treasury’s counterterrorism authority (E.O. 13224) and as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, while the Basij is designated pursuant to both E.O. 13224 and Treasury’s human rights designation authority (E.O. 13553)," the U.S. Treasury wrote in a statement at the time. ## Why Is Iran Attacking Other Countries? Iran has launched strikes against several other countries in the Middle East since the U.S. and Israel struck it over the weekend. It [has launched retaliatory strikes](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-launches-retaliatory-strikes-on-us-targets-qatar-kuwait-saudi-arabia-11596778) on Israel and Gulf Arab allies hosting U.S. forces, including bases in Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. The United States and Israel struck Iran in a military operation dubbed Operation Epic Fury early Saturday morning after [failed talks between the U.S. and Iran](https://www.newsweek.com/why-trump-attacked-iran-what-we-know-11597987) to address Iran’s nuclear program. Iran had declined to halt uranium enrichment, a major demand from the U.S. The strikes have continued in the days since and killed Ayatollah Khamenei. Trump said the strikes were intended to crush Iran’s [nuclear](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/nuclear) and missile capabilities and urged Iranians to overthrow their leaders once the operation ends, telling them to “take over your government.” Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing a nuclear weapon and had engaged in diplomatic talks with the U.S. only days earlier to prevent military conflict. Trump has previously called for regime change in Iran. The U.S. launched strikes against Iran in June 2025, damaging three major nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. The president also referenced Iran’s recent bloody crackdown on protesters in the country in his speech, saying, “Iran is the world's number one state sponsor of terror and just recently killed tens of [thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested](https://www.newsweek.com/cia-makes-offer-to-iranians-as-protests-kick-off-again-11579263).” The Defense Intelligence Agency's 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment report concluded that Iran had not been producing a nuclear weapon. "Iran almost certainly is not producing nuclear weapons, but Iran has undertaken activities in recent years that better position it to produce them, if it chooses to do so. Since 2019, Iran conducted activities that exceed previous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) limits, including increasing the size and enrichment levels of its uranium stockpile, producing small quantities of uranium metal, restricting International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring to preJCPOA levels, and expanding uranium enrichment at its Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant," the report reads. The U.S. has signaled plans to strike deeper into Iran. ## Will Iran Attack the United States? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wrote in a memo reported by ABC News that a "large-scale physical attack" against the United States is "unlikely," but did warn of short-term threats. "In the short-term, we are most concerned that Iran-aligned hacktivists will conduct low-level cyber attacks against US networks, such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attacks," the memo reads. The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) fellow Benjaim Jensen wrote in a February 26 update that Iran could use cyberattacks to retaliate. Iran could "opt for a range of cyber operations, ranging from simple website defacement and promoting bots spreading regime propaganda to more sophisticated attacks against critical infrastructure," he wrote. *Update 3/5/26, 1:43 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.* > In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At *Newsweek*, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you. > > When you [become a Newsweek Member](https://www.newsweek.com/subscribe?utm_campaign=inlineCTAv2), you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. [Help keep the center courageous. Join today.](https://www.newsweek.com/subscribe)
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