- Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded his father as supreme leader after the father was killed in a US-Israeli strike that triggered the Middle East war; Khamenei was wounded in the same attack.
- Khamenei has not appeared publicly since taking over, communicating only through written statements.
- He did not appear at his father's funeral ceremonies last month.
- President Pezeshkian said Wednesday that communication with Khamenei is 'very difficult at the moment', but defended the leader, saying he has held productive meetings and received 'kindness and very sound logic'.
- Pezeshkian criticized attempts to portray Khamenei negatively, saying 'malicious people' present a different image of him.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged that communication with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is currently "very difficult at the moment", as Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the US-Israeli strike that resulted in his father's death and his own injuries.124
Khamenei's absence has raised concerns about his relationship with senior officials, especially since he notably did not attend his father's funeral last month. Despite this, Pezeshkian emphasized that Khamenei remains a "very great source of strength" for Iran, stating, "It is very difficult to communicate with him at the moment, but in any case, his presence is a very great source of strength for us so that we can continue."
The Iranian president also criticized the negative portrayal of Khamenei, asserting that "the current situation allows some malicious people to describe him differently". He insisted that his interactions with Khamenei have been constructive, noting that he has been received with "kindness and very sound logic" during their meetings. Pezeshkian's remarks come amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, further complicating the political landscape in the region.
“Khamenei, wounded in the same US-Israeli strike that killed his father, has not appeared publicly since, issuing only written statements and skipping his father's funeral last month. Pezeshkian defended him, citing 'kindness and very sound logic' in their meetings, while blaming 'malicious people' for distorting his image.”
Arab News
