Trump calls Iran’s choice of Mojtaba Khamenei ‘a big mistake’

US President Donald Trump criticized Iran’s appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, calling the decision "a big mistake."

“WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Iran’s appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, calling the decision “a big mistake”

Saudi Gazette

Speaking to NBC News, Trump said he doubted the leadership change would last: "I don't know if it's going to last ... I think they made a mistake."

Saudi Gazette

He added that the new leader "is going to have to get approval from us."

He also told the New York Post earlier that he was "not happy" with the choice.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, became Iran’s third supreme leader since the Iranian Revolution after being appointed Sunday to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei.

Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on his compound in Tehran on Feb. 28.

Saudi Gazette

Trump declined to rule out the possibility of seizing Iranian oil resources but said it was too early to discuss such a move.

“WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Iran’s appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, calling the decision “a big mistake”

Saudi Gazette

"Certainly people have talked about it," he said, referencing Venezuela as an example where the United States secured more than 80 million barrels of oil after the capture of leader Nicolas Maduro earlier this year.

"It's too soon to talk about that," he added.