Khamenei’s death has left Iran without a supreme leader, creating uncertainty over the country’s political direction. By Vered Weiss, World Israel NewsIran’s leadership has reached out to Washington seeking talks in the wake of the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the White House confirmed Sunday, as US officials signaled openness to discussions while saying military operations against Iran would continue.President Donald Trump said the Iranian side had made contact following Khamenei’s death in joint US-Israeli strikes on Saturday.In an interview with The Atlantic conducted from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump said he was prepared to engage. “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” he said. “They should have done it sooner. They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long.”Trump did not identify who would represent Iran in any discussions or outline a timetable for talks.A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration’s next steps, told the New York Times Iran had indicated a willingness to speak directly with Trump.The official declined to provide further details on the outreach and said the US-led military assault on Iran would proceed unabated despite the diplomatic signal.Khamenei’s death has left Iran without a supreme leader, creating uncertainty over the country’s political direction.Iranian officials have said a list of potential successors includes Khamenei’s son and several former advisers, though no selection process has been announced.In the absence of a permanent leader, Iran’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, said an interim committee would assume responsibility for governing the country.He vowed retaliation against Israel and the United States, saying Iran would strike back “with a force they have never experienced before.”Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday that an interim leadership council had begun operating with the stated aim of avenging Khamenei’s killing.In a recorded video statement broadcast on state television, Pezeshkian issued a warning to Washington and Jerusalem. “The United States and Israel should know that nothing will come of this except their own downfall,” he said.The post Trump says he has reached out to ‘new leadership’ in Iran: ‘They want to talk’ appeared first on World Israel News.