Trump says nobody knows who is running Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump claims that the leadership vacuum in Iran, following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, complicates the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war. Iran's Foreign Ministry denies this, citing a stable decision-making process and accusing the U.S. of contradictory messaging.
Why it matters
The prolonged conflict and rising fuel prices are significant political liabilities for the Trump administration ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (October 6, 2026) that nobody knew who was running Iran during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, now in its eighth month.
“Their leaders are gone, their second group of leaders is gone, and the biggest problem I have is nobody knows who the hell is running the country,” Mr. Trump said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Sunday (October 4, 2026) Washington knows very well who its counterpart is in Iran and how the decision-making system in Iran works.
“The problem is actually the opposite: it lies in the contradictory positions and mixed messaging from US officials,” Esmaeil Baghaei said in a news conference.
Also covering this story
12 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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