According to a report by BBC News, US President Donald Trump said he knows who is “calling the shots” in Iran following reports of the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but declined to disclose the individual’s identity.
Trump made the comments in an interview with CBS News, speaking amid the escalating conflict after a major US-Israeli military operation against Iranian leadership that Tehran has not independently confirmed.
Asked about Iran’s leadership in the aftermath of the reported killing, Trump said, “I know exactly who, but I can’t tell you,” suggesting he was referring to the person effectively now directing the country’s affairs following the strikes. He added that there were “some good candidates” he would like to see lead the Islamic Republic—a remark indicating uncertainty but confidence in his understanding of the internal power dynamics in Tehran.
Trump’s remarks come against the backdrop of the wider military offensive, which he and Israeli officials say eliminated key figures within Iran’s political and security apparatus. The reported death of Khamenei, one of the most powerful figures in Iran’s history, has raised global attention and questions about a possible power vacuum and succession within the Islamic Republic.
The BBC report noted that Iranian authorities have publicly disputed claims of Khamenei’s death. Some officials even asserting that he and other senior leaders remain alive and in command highlighting the opacity and high tension surrounding leadership information during the conflict.
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