Iran's President Pezeshkian says he met Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday he had recently met Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since his appointment in early March. Pezeshkian did not specify when the meeting took place. Khamenei was wounded in strikes on the first day of the Middle East war, which also killed his father and predecessor Ali Khamenei.

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei and why hasn't he been seen in public?

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was appointed supreme leader by Iran's Assembly of Experts on March 9 after his father Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes. Wounded in the same attack, he has communicated only through written statements. His appointment followed more than three decades of his father's rule, during which public appearances by the supreme leader were frequent.

His father's death ended a tenure that began in 1989, when Ali Khamenei succeeded the republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Since Mojtaba's appointment, his portraits have become widespread across Iran. His absence from the public stage stands in sharp contrast to his father's visible role.

What did Pezeshkian say about his meeting with the supreme leader?

Speaking in a video broadcast by state television, Pezeshkian described the meeting as "direct, frank, and accompanied by a sense of closeness and trust." He said it lasted around two and a half hours. "What struck me most during this meeting was the vision and the humble and sincere approach of the supreme leader of the Islamic revolution," he said.

The statement offers the first public confirmation that Mojtaba Khamenei has met with a senior official since taking office. No images or footage of the meeting were released. The exact date of the encounter was not disclosed.

What is Iran's position on the U.S. peace deal?

The meeting came as world capitals and financial markets watched closely for Tehran's response to Washington's latest proposed deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's foreign ministry confirmed it would communicate its position to mediator Pakistan after finalizing its views. Asian stocks surged and oil prices fell after President Donald Trump said an agreement was "very possible."

The U.S. and Iran are working on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for nuclear negotiations, according to Axios , citing two officials. Trump said Wednesday that talks over the previous 24 hours had been productive, while repeating his threat to resume bombing if Tehran refused US demands. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed the proposal remained "under review."

How are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan shaping the negotiations?

The negotiations have been mediated by Pakistan and supported by Washington's Gulf Arab allies. Trump launched and then quickly abandoned a naval escort operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress in talks. The reversal came within hours, with the White House pointing to diplomatic momentum as the path forward.

According to NBC News , Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke directly with Trump and refused to allow U.S. forces to use Saudi airspace and bases, a factor that contributed to the pause in military operations. The role of Gulf states has added a regional dimension to what began as a bilateral standoff.

What does an Iran deal mean for Lebanon?

Any agreement to extend the ceasefire could also ease tensions in Lebanon, where a fragile truce with Israel has come under renewed strain. Israel struck Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, the first such attack in nearly a month, killing a senior Hezbollah commander from its elite Radwan force. At least 11 others were killed in strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, according to the country's health ministry.