Iran Rejects Trump’s Call to Influence Next Leader, Saying Nation’s Future Won’t Be Decided by “Epstein’s Gang”

Iranian officials have sharply rejected comments from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting he should play a role in selecting Iran’s next leader, escalating the rhetoric amid the ongoing conflict between the two countries.

In an interview and public remarks, Trump said the United States would need to be involved in determining Iran’s future leadership following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the opening phase of the conflict. He argued that the next leader should be someone willing to maintain stable relations with the United States and its regional partners.

Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, responded on social media with a strongly worded statement rejecting the idea of outside influence.

“Trump still doesn’t realize what calamity he has brought upon himself and American soldiers by martyring our Imam, and he wants to dictate terms to a nation,” Ghalibaf wrote. He added that Iran’s future would be determined “solely by the proud Iranian nation, not by Epstein’s gang.”

The remarks reflect growing tensions between Washington and Tehran as the war continues to expand across the Middle East. Trump has said the conflict will end only with Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” a stance that analysts warn could prolong the fighting.

Iranian officials have also pushed back on Trump’s suggestion that the United States could influence the country’s leadership transition. Under Iran’s political system, the supreme leader is selected by the clerical body known as the Assembly of Experts, not by foreign governments.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh also mocked Trump’s remarks, saying it was unrealistic for a foreign leader to expect a role in Iran’s internal political process.

The exchange underscores the deepening war of words between the two governments as military operations and diplomatic tensions continue across the region.