Pezeshkian says he met with Khamenei face to face, supreme leader healthy, giving direction

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed in a recent Fox News interview that he met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in person about a month ago. Khamenei, Pezeshkian stated, was in full health and providing guidance to the Iranian government. The policies being implemented, he emphasized, are under the administration's and government's control, with consultations and directions emanating from Khamenei.

Since the onset of the war, Khamenei has not been seen in public, following his ascension to the supreme leadership position after his father's assassination. According to Pezeshkian, he previously asserted a meeting with Khamenei in August, where they discussed various issues affecting Iran, such as economic conditions, unemployment, sanctions, national unity, and resilience during wartime.

In the Thursday interview, Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran remains committed to pursuing a peace agreement with the US, which was previously attempted in July but failed. He stressed that Iran does not desire war, responding only in self-defense when provoked. Pezeshkian further affirmed that Iran is prepared to adjust its highly enriched uranium levels and has never aspired to possess a nuclear weapon, as previously declared by the supreme leader.

He attributed the lack of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections of the stored uranium beneath Mount Khuyut Rustom to ongoing US military operations.