Donald Trump has appeared to agitate for new leadership in Iran.

The US president on Sunday suggested a “regime change” would take place if its leaders were “unable to make Iran great again”.

His comments came just hours after vice president JD Vance and defence secretary Pete Hegseth stressed that Washington was not seeking to topple the Iranian government following US air strikes on its nuclear facilities this weekend.

“It’s not politically correct to use the term, “Regime Change,” but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change?” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Referencing his “Maga” (Make America Great Again) movement, he added: “MIGA!!!”

Since striking Iran in the early hours of Sunday, Mr Trump has pressed the country not to retaliate and urged it to return to the negotiating table immediately.

At a press conference at the Pentagon on Sunday morning, Mr Hegseth declared: “This mission was not, has not been, about regime change.”

“We don’t want a regime change,” Mr Vance said a short time later. “We do not want to protract this.”

He added: “We want to end the nuclear program, and then we want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement here.”