China rejects US interference over Khamenei successor

Beijing has officially criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's recent warnings directed at the newly appointed successor to Iran's slain leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. During a Monday press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated that China firmly rejects any foreign interference in another nation's internal affairs and urged respect for Tehran's sovereignty amid the ongoing war.

Published March 09,2026

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CHINA REJECTS US INTERFERENCE OVER KHAMENEI SUCCESSOR

Beijing has criticized US President Donald Trump's warnings about the successor to Iran's slain leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

China rejects interference in the internal affairs of other countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said in Beijing on Monday.

Iran's security, sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, he added.

Beijing once again called for negotiations to end the war and an immediate end to military operations.

Trump has insisted that the US must be involved in the choice of successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on February 28. Otherwise he would not remain in office for long, the US president said on Sunday.

"If he doesn't get approval from us he's not going to last long," Trump told ABC News.

Shortly afterwards, Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was announced as his successor.

Trump had previously said that Mojtaba Khamenei would not be a suitable leader.

"They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight," he told the Axios news outlet last week.