Donald Trump has suggested that Iran’s incoming supreme leader could face difficulties in maintaining power without the backing of the United States, amid uncertainty over succession following the death of Ali Khamenei.

Trump made the comment in an interview with ABC News, indicating that the stability of Iran’s future leadership could be influenced by its relationship with Washington.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,” Trump said.

The U.S. president emphasized that his priority is to prevent renewed tensions that could escalate into another nuclear standoff between Washington and Tehran. “I don’t want people to have to go back in five years and do the same thing again, or worse, let them have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Khamenei, who ruled Iran for over three decades, passed away amid rising regional tensions, triggering the constitutional process to appoint a new supreme leader.

Under Iran’s political system, the influential clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, is tasked with selecting the country’s supreme leader. Although reports indicate that deliberations on a successor may have concluded, the official announcement of the new leader has not yet been made.

Speculation has focused on Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, who is considered by analysts to hold significant influence within Iran’s clerical and security structures.

Iranian officials have rejected claims that foreign powers could sway the selection. Abbas Araghchi, the country’s Foreign Minister, stressed that choosing the supreme leader is a sovereign matter and cautioned against any external interference.