President Donald Trump said he would support the killing of Iran's new supreme leader if he won't agree to U.S. demands, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the new man at the top, must agree to end Iran's nuclear development, current and former U.S. officials told the Journal.
"Not going to tell you. I'm not happy with him," Trump said to the New York Post about his plans for the younger Khamenei.
Trump previously said he should have a say in picking Iran's next ruler if Iran was to surrender unconditionally.
"I'm not going through this to end up with another Khamenei," Trump told Time magazine last week.
Trump dismissed Khamenei in another interview with Axios.
"[Ali] Khamenei's son is a lightweight," Trump said.
"[Ali] Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran."
Israel would be tasked with the mission to take out Khamenei, the Journal reported.
"You'll have to wait and see," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar told CNN.
Israeli airstrikes have already killed Mojtaba Khamenei's father, the former supreme leader of Iran, and the younger Khamenei's wife.
Khamenei was named to the leadership spot on Sunday. He is viewed as a hard-line successor to his father, officials told the Journal.
The new man in charge is unlikely to give up his country's alleged quest for nuclear weapons or negotiate an end to the conflict on terms favorable to the U.S., officials said to the Journal.
Newsmax contacted the White House requesting comment.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.