All it’s good to know as Iran elects new chief days after Trump’s brutal swipe

Need to know

Peace-loving Donald Trump previously renounced the second son of the slain Ayatollah and said he could force the countries back into war within five years, but Iran have elected him anyway

Need to Know: Iran Defies Trump with New Supreme Leader Appointment

• Iran has defied Donald Trump by appointing Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, just days after the US President dismissed him as a “lightweight.”
• The 56-year-old son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was chosen by Iran’s Assembly of Experts despite Trump demanding final approval on the appointment. The US President had said he “refused to accept” a new Iranian leader who would continue hard-line policies.
• Trump told a US news site: “They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela.”
• The appointment comes after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint Israeli airstrikes last Saturday, with both Mojtaba’s wife and son reportedly among the 49 people killed. Israel has vowed to target whoever was elected to the role.
• Unlike his father, Mojtaba has kept a low profile throughout his life, never holding government office or giving public speeches. However, US diplomatic cables described him as “the power behind the robes” and a “capable and forceful leader” within the regime.
• Experts say choosing an anti-Western candidate signals Iran will not seek peace talks with the US. Trump warned the appointment could force the countries back to war “in five years.”
• When asked who could replace Khamenei, Trump told reporters at the White House: “Most of the people we had in mind are dead.”
• READ THE FULL STORY: Iran new leader confirmed days after Trump rejected him with brutal swipe