Trump says nobody knows who is running Iran

US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that the identity of those governing Iran remained unknown during the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, which has persisted for eight months. According to Trump, the country's leadership had been decimated, as the initial group of leaders had been eliminated, and the subsequent leadership was uncertain.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, countered Trump's assertion, asserting that Washington was fully aware of the structure of Iran's decision-making process. However, Baghaei claimed that the real issue lay with the conflicting statements and mixed messaging from US officials.

The conflict began on February 28 when Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a US-Israeli strike. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, inherited the leadership position but has not been seen in public since sustaining injuries during the same attack. In response to the US-Israeli aggression, Iran retaliated by targeting Israel and Gulf states that host US military bases.

The war has resulted in thousands of casualties and the displacement of millions. Rising fuel prices, a direct consequence of the conflict, pose a threat to Trump's Republican Party as they approach the November US midterm elections, where control of Congress is at stake. Throughout the war, Trump has provided inconsistent timelines and objectives for the conflict, contributing to his historically low approval rating, which is deeply influenced by the escalating cost of living driven by soaring gasoline and diesel prices.