Communication with Mojtaba Khamenei 'very difficult' at the moment: Iran president

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that communication with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "very difficult at the moment." Khamenei was wounded in the US-Israeli strike that launched the Middle East war and has not appeared in public since succeeding his father, who was killed in the same attack.

Why is communication with Mojtaba Khamenei difficult?

Pezeshkian said reaching Khamenei has been hard since he took over as supreme leader following the strike that wounded him and killed his father. Despite the difficulty, Pezeshkian said Khamenei's presence remains a major source of strength that allows the country to continue functioning during the ongoing conflict.

How was Khamenei injured in the war?

Khamenei was wounded in the same US-Israeli strike that killed his father, the previous supreme leader, at the start of the Middle East war. He has kept a low public profile since then, communicating mainly through written statements rather than public appearances. He notably did not attend his father's funeral ceremonies last month.

What did Pezeshkian say about meeting Khamenei?

Pezeshkian pushed back on the idea that Khamenei has been disconnected from Iran's leadership. He said he has held productive meetings with Khamenei and described being met with "kindness and very sound logic" during their interactions. Pezeshkian's comments were meant to counter growing speculation about Khamenei's role.

Why has Khamenei's absence raised questions?

Khamenei's limited public presence during Iran's conflict with the United States has fueled speculation about his relations with other senior officials. Pezeshkian addressed this directly, saying the current situation has allowed "malicious people" to mischaracterize Khamenei and present a distorted image of him.