"We feel that that is a correct story," he was quoted as saying by NBC News.

Trump also spoke to ABC News about reports of Khamenei's death, saying: "I don't want to say anything definitively until I see things but we believe he is. And much of their leaders are gone."

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were "many signs" that Khamenei had been killed in an attack on his compound as part of the US-Israeli campaign.