US President Donald Trump has questioned who is currently making key decisions in Iran, saying Washington does not know who is effectively running the country as the conflict between the two sides continues.
Trump made the remarks on Tuesday as the US-Israeli war with Iran entered its eighth month, amid ongoing uncertainty over Tehran’s leadership and decision-making structure.
“Their leaders are gone, their second group of leaders are gone, and the biggest problem I have is nobody knows who the hell is running the country,” Trump said.
Iran has rejected the suggestion that its leadership structure is unclear. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Washington knows who its counterpart is and understands how decisions are made in Tehran.
According to Baghaei, the real problem is what he described as contradictory statements coming from US officials.
The question of leadership has become more prominent since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the conflict on February 28. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, subsequently succeeded him, although he has not appeared publicly since reportedly being injured in the same strike that killed his father.
Iran has continued responding to US and Israeli attacks, including strikes against Israel and Gulf states hosting US military bases.
The prolonged conflict has also created wider economic and political pressure, with rising fuel prices adding to concerns for the Trump administration ahead of the November US midterm elections, where control of Congress is at stake.
Trump’s domestic political position has also come under pressure over the rising cost of living, particularly higher gasoline and diesel prices linked in part to the conflict.
Meanwhile, Trump has continued to give varying indications about the direction and timeline of the war, as Washington and Tehran remain at odds over how the conflict should end.
US Vice President JD Vance has also acknowledged uncertainty over how decisions are being made in Tehran, saying Washington is in contact with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi but is unsure how much authority they hold within Iran’s broader power structure.
The dispute over who ultimately controls Iran comes as diplomatic efforts remain difficult and the possibility of renewed military escalation continues to weigh on the region.
