Washington: Trump Expresses Disappointment Over Mojtaba Khamenei Becoming Iran’s Supreme Leader.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was “disappointed” by Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader following the killing of his father, former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in the US state of Florida, Trump said Washington believes the appointment would likely result in a continuation of the same policies in Iran.
“We think it’s going to lead to just more of the same problem for the country,” he said when asked about the leadership change in Tehran.
When journalists asked whether the new Iranian leader had a target on his back, Trump avoided giving a direct answer.
He said it would be “inappropriate” to comment on whether Mojtaba Khamenei faces an assassination threat.
Trump also addressed the global oil market during the press conference, saying the United States is temporarily waiving certain oil-related sanctions to ensure adequate global supply and help keep prices down.
He noted that oil prices had not surged as much as he had previously feared.
According to Trump, the United States plans to remove some sanctions temporarily until the situation around the Strait of Hormuz stabilizes.
Although he did not specify the countries involved, Washington recently issued a 30-day waiver allowing the sale of Russian oil currently stranded at sea so that it could be delivered to India, a move aimed at easing pressure on the global energy market.