Trump responds to whether he will remove Iran's new Supreme Leader

According to CCTV News, Iran officially announced on the 9th that the new Supreme Leader is Muqtada al-Husayni al-Sadr, succeeding Ali Khamenei who was killed in previous US-Israel attacks. U.S. President Donald Trump also held his first official press conference on the 9th since launching military strikes against Iran.

On the evening of the 9th local time, President Trump held a press conference at Trump Doral Golf Club in Miami, Florida.

In addition to listing the results of U.S. military strikes against Iran, Trump’s remarks on Iran also included the timeline for military actions, the navigation of the Strait of Hormuz and international energy security, and the selection of Iran’s new Supreme Leader. Specific points include:

When will U.S. military actions against Iran end: Trump said it could “end very soon,” but “not” within this week.

Navigation of the Strait of Hormuz: Trump stated that if Iran affects global oil supplies, it will face even harsher strikes; he also said that when the time is right, the U.S. Navy will escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

International oil prices surge: Trump said that the increase in international oil prices was below his expectations, and he anticipated energy prices would rise even before initiating actions against Iran; additionally, Trump announced plans to lift some oil-related sanctions to stabilize prices.

Attack on a primary school in Minab, southern Iran: Trump said the incident is under investigation.

Iran’s election of Muqtada al-Husayni al-Sadr as the new Supreme Leader: According to Global Times, when asked by reporters whether the U.S. intends to remove Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Trump responded that he is disappointed, “because this will only bring more of the same problems to Iran.”

Furthermore, Trump mentioned Venezuela, his call with Russian President Putin on the same day, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and issues related to Cuba.

On the morning of the 9th local time, Iran officially announced that the Expert Conference elected Muqtada al-Husayni al-Sadr, son of Ali Khamenei, as Iran’s third Supreme Leader. Various domestic parties, as well as Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Houthi armed group, issued statements of support on the same day.

An IDF spokesperson also posted on social media in Persian on the 8th, saying: “We want to tell everyone that Israel will continue to pursue and kill any successors and anyone attempting to appoint successors.”

(Source: China News Service)