Pezeshkian has rare meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian recently met with supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, according to a statement from Khamenei's office on Sunday. The meeting took place at the beginning of Pezeshkian's third year in office. Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since assuming the position early in the Middle East conflict, had not been publicly seen since the start of the war.

Pezeshkian, who assumed office in July 2024, claimed in early May that he had met with Khamenei, though the date of that meeting was not disclosed. On Wednesday, the president stated that communication with Khamenei was "very difficult at the moment," leading to speculation about the supreme leader's health following reports that he was wounded in strikes that killed his father.

Khamenei's office confirmed the meeting and stated that they discussed "the country's issues and problems," including the current military situation and future prospects. Iran was engaged in talks with Washington aimed at ending the war initiated by the US and Israel in February; however, an initial agreement collapsed, and the country's top diplomat indicated that current negotiations are limited to exchanging messages through mediators.

Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday that images of Khamenei among the crowd and during meetings would be released in the future, though no specific timeline was provided.