U.S. President Donald Trump said he is “not happy” with Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and declined to say how he plans to deal with him, according to comments published Monday by the New York Post.
“Not going to tell you,” Trump told the newspaper when asked about his plans regarding the younger Khamenei. “Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him.”
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Donald Trump, Mojtaba Khamenei
(Photo: Anna Moneymaker/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP)
Khamenei, 56, was named over the weekend to replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as leader of Iran’s ruling theocracy. The 86-year-old was assassinated in an Israeli strike in the opening blow of the joint U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign.
In the interview, Trump also downplayed speculation that the United States might send troops into Iran to secure nuclear material at the underground enrichment site near the city of Isfahan. “We haven’t made any decision on that. We’re nowhere near it,” Trump told the Post.
Trump had previously indicated the possibility had not been discussed, telling reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that “we haven’t talked about” sending troops to the site, according to the newspaper. However, the Post reported that several news organizations — including Semafor, NBC News and Axios — said the scenario was under active discussion.