“We want them to have a worthy leader,” he added. “We have people who, in my opinion, can successfully handle this task.”
Although Trump did not name specific individuals, he noted that the U.S. is taking measures to ensure the safety of these individuals. “Yes, we are watching them,” he said.
Furthermore, the U.S. president clarified that at this moment, options for military intervention in Iran are not being considered.
“It’s not feasible. They have already lost everything. They have no fleet; they have lost everything they could,” Trump noted, adding that strikes from the U.S. and Israel will continue at the same pace and scale.
“We had no choice. If we hadn’t struck first, they would have struck us because they are insane,” he added.
Other important statements:
— In the long term, our actions will lead to stability in the region, which will positively affect oil prices and the stock market;
— Once a missile is launched, a retaliatory strike on the launch site follows within four minutes;
— Iranian missiles have been destroyed by 60%, and launchers by 64%;
— I rebuilt the army during my first term, and now we are using it more than I would like;
— The U.S. will ensure that the next Iranian leader does not threaten America, Israel, or other countries;
— Cuba is so eager to make a deal that it is beyond description.
— Once a missile is launched, a retaliatory strike on the launch site follows within four minutes;
— Iranian missiles have been destroyed by 60%, and launchers by 64%;
— I rebuilt the army during my first term, and now we are using it more than I would like;
— The U.S. will ensure that the next Iranian leader does not threaten America, Israel, or other countries;
— Cuba is so eager to make a deal that it is beyond description.
In Washington, there is active discussion about whether Trump is seeking a similar "Venezuelan solution" for selecting a new Iranian leader, as noted by the BBC.
The decision on appointing the Supreme Leader in Iran is usually made by the Assembly of Experts; however, Trump has indicated his desire to participate in this process.
In a conversation with Axios, he ruled out the possibility of cooperating with the son of the late Supreme Leader, 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, calling him a “lightweight.” “I have to be involved in the appointment, as it was with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,” he added.
The Trump administration believes that a key factor in successfully engaging with Delcy Rodriguez was her willingness to change the course of U.S. military operations in Venezuela, which allowed for control over the country’s vast oil reserves.
However, the situation in South America is vastly different from that in the Middle East, as are the regimes themselves. While Trump seems ready to continue cooperating with the remnants of the Maduro regime, it is unclear how he can personally participate in appointing a new leader of the Iranian theocracy.
Here are the key events of the last few hours:
- At a briefing at U.S. Central Command, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to increase U.S. firepower against Iran and that strikes on Iranian drones and missile systems are being carried out “every hour.”
- Hegseth added that the U.S. can continue its operations for as long as it wants, and that several allies are also providing support.
- He also noted that President Trump will have “significant influence” on the choice of future leadership in Iran, while Trump himself previously told the media that he would “have to be involved” in this process.
- Explosions have been reported in Beirut; Bahrain claims that Iran attacked a hotel and residential buildings;
- Qatar reported intercepting a drone attack on a U.S. base.
“Hezbollah” urges Israelis to leave border areas.
“Hezbollah” warned Israeli citizens of the need to evacuate from settlements located within 5 km of the border with Lebanon.
According to Reuters, this warning was disseminated via a Telegram channel early Friday morning.
“The aggression of your army against the sovereignty of Lebanon and the safety of citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure will not go unanswered,” said “Hezbollah.”
In recent days, Israeli military forces have begun a series of attacks on Lebanon, urging the population to leave the southern suburbs of Beirut, which are considered a stronghold of “Hezbollah.”
Recently, the Israel Defense Forces also reported the beginning of “large-scale attacks on the infrastructure of the Iranian terrorist regime in Tehran.”
In brief:
- The UAE is considering freezing Iranian assets worth billions of dollars, according to The Wall Street Journal citing sources.
- Trump stated that Iran will need at least 10 years to recover from U.S. and Israeli strikes, in an interview with ABC News.
- Iran attacked Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, resulting in 67 Kuwaiti servicemen being injured, two of whom were hospitalized, reported the spokesperson for the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense.
- Iran also struck the headquarters of U.S. forces in Abu Dhabi, located near Zayed International Airport, according to IRIB news agency.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Araqchi: Russia and China support Iran “politically and otherwise.”
When asked about possible military assistance after the U.S. and Israeli attacks, he replied that military cooperation with Russia and other Asian countries “is not a secret.”
“We have worked together in the past, and I believe this will continue,” Araqchi stated.
When a journalist clarified whether this means assistance in the current situation, the minister replied that “help has always been forthcoming,” but he did not disclose details about cooperation with other countries during the conflict.
In an interview with NBC, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that his country is prepared for a potential ground invasion by U.S. troops.
Analysts suggest that the U.S. may intensify its military actions against Iran in the coming days; however, it remains unclear whether these will include the deployment of ground troops to overthrow the Iranian leadership.
Reuters reports that American military investigators suspect that U.S. troops may be responsible for the attack on an Iranian girls' school, resulting in the reported deaths of 165 children.
According to a Reuters report citing two U.S. officials, details of the investigation into the school explosions being conducted by the U.S. are not yet available, and work on it is still ongoing.
On Saturday, a school in Minab in southern Iran was attacked, reportedly resulting in the deaths of 150 students, and later this number rose to 165.
This week, mass memorial services were held in Iran for schoolgirls and educational staff who died as a result of the airstrike.
A deliberate attack on a school, hospital, or any other civilian structure can be considered a war crime under international humanitarian law.
The First Lady of Iraq appeals to the Trump administration: Leave the Kurds alone.
The First Lady of Iraq, Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, urged the U.S. to stop using the Kurds as pawns in its confrontation with Iran.
This statement was made against the backdrop of reports that the U.S. is recruiting Kurdish forces to fight against the Iranian army.
“We are not hired killers,” Ahmed, the wife of Iraqi President Abdel Latif Rashid, is quoted by the Iranian English-language state television Press TV.
She mentioned the Kurdish uprising in Sulaymaniyah in 1991, when the U.S. did not provide any assistance to the Kurds: “No one came to our aid,” she stated.
Trump's desire to change the Iranian leadership and share candidates for a “good leader.” What else is happening in Iran? first appeared on K-News.
