Trump Says He Never Sought Iran Regime Change, Calls New Leaders ‘Not Radicalized’
President Trump denied ever pursuing regime change in Iran despite previously calling for it, now expressing confidence in the country's new leadership following Ayatollah Khamenei's death.
President Donald Trump has officially distanced himself from the concept of regime change in Iran, declaring during a diplomatic meeting that such an objective was never part of his strategy—despite having urged Iranians to overthrow their clerical leadership earlier in the conflict.
Speaking alongside Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the G7 summit on Tuesday, Trump dismissed suggestions that regime change had been a goal of American policy. You talk about regime change. I never cared about regime change, the president stated, according to New York Post.
The remarks represent a sharp departure from Trump’s rhetoric in February, when he described regime change as potentially the best outcome for Iran. At that time, he called on the Iranian population to capitalize on the momentum created by American and Israeli military strikes, declaring that the moment of their liberation had arrived.
The clerical regime suffered a catastrophic blow on February 28 when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed within the first hour of hostilities. His son Mojtaba subsequently assumed control of the Islamic Republic.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Trump acknowledged the dramatic turnover within Iran’s leadership structure, noting that the original governing circle had been eliminated, followed by the second tier, with portions of the third leadership group also removed from power.
The president expressed confidence in the current Iranian officials his administration is engaging with, describing them as rational actors. He characterized the new leadership as strong, intelligent, and notably less radicalized than their predecessors, suggesting they are focused on advancing their nation’s interests rather than ideological extremism.
Trump’s assessment signals a potential shift in Washington’s approach toward Tehran as the war’s dynamics continue to evolve and new figures emerge within Iran’s power structure.
With information from New York Post
