US President Donald Trump on Tuesday questioned who is currently running Iran, saying the country’s leadership had been severely weakened during the war and that Washington did not have a clear picture of who was making decisions in Tehran. “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.

Trump’s remarks came as his administration considers its next steps towards Iran, with military and diplomatic options under discussion after months of conflict. On Saturday, Trump had warned that Tehran would face “the easy way or the hard way”, without explaining what decision he was preparing to take.

Questions Over Iran’s Leadership

Trump’s comments point to continuing uncertainty in Washington over Iran’s decision-making structure following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes on February 28. Iran subsequently announced his son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, as his successor.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since reports that he was injured in the strike that killed his father. Trump had previously questioned whether the new Iranian leader was still alive, saying that his absence from public view was unusual.

Tehran has rejected suggestions that its leadership structure is unclear. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Washington knew who its counterpart was and understood how Iran’s decision-making system operated.

“Washington knows very well who their counterpart is in Iran and how the decision-making system in Iran works,” Baghaei said, arguing instead that the uncertainty stemmed from what he described as contradictory positions and mixed messages from US officials.

Trump Signals Decision On Iran

Trump had already indicated over the weekend that Washington was approaching a decision on Iran. Speaking before leaving the White House for a campaign trip to Ohio, he said: “We have a decision that I’ll make about Iran. Iran’s been decimated. So the only question is, it’ll either be the easy way or the hard way.”

Trump has not specified what the decision would involve. His latest remarks come as negotiations remain stalled and Washington weighs whether diplomatic efforts can resolve the dispute or whether further military action should be considered.

Trump has also claimed that Iran was “virtually giving up any plans to have a nuclear weapon”, but has not provided details of any new Iranian commitment regarding its nuclear programme.

Washington Weighs Military And Diplomatic Options

The uncertainty over the US administration’s next move comes as officials consider a range of options for dealing with Tehran. Reuters reported that Iran is preparing for the possibility of renewed large-scale US military action while continuing diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing another confrontation.

Iranian officials and sources familiar with internal deliberations told Reuters that Tehran is examining plans for a broader response if the United States resumes major attacks. Iranian commanders have considered expanding the potential targets of any retaliation beyond US-linked assets, according to the sources.

At the same time, Iranian officials continue to pursue negotiations, although some privately believe the chances of a breakthrough remain limited. The competing military and diplomatic preparations have left the two sides facing an uncertain next phase.

War Adds Pressure On Trump

The conflict has also created economic and political pressure in the United States, particularly through higher energy prices and concerns about the cost of living ahead of the November midterm elections.

Trump has faced questions over the duration and objectives of the conflict while repeatedly signalling that he wants an end to the fighting. His latest comments suggest that Washington has yet to settle publicly on a definitive course towards Tehran.

The war began on February 28 following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 after 40 days of major hostilities, but tensions between Iran, the United States, Israel and regional actors have continued.

The latest US position combines renewed warnings with continued diplomatic engagement. Trump’s comments about uncertainty over Iran’s leadership come as both Washington and Tehran prepare for the possibility that negotiations could fail and the conflict could enter another phase.

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