President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran revealed for the first time that he met with the new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, drawing attention to his moves and the balance of power.
Pezeshkian said at a meeting with industry figures on the 7th (local time) that he "met the supreme leader and talked for about 2 hours and 30 minutes." This is the first confirmation of an in-person meeting since the supreme leader was chosen.
Regarding the tone of the meeting, he said, "The humane, sincere, and humble attitude was impressive," adding, "There was direct communication built on trust and empathy." However, he did not disclose the exact timing of the meeting or specific details of the conversation.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public since being selected as supreme leader in March, issuing only written messages. This has fueled speculation about health issues and that only a limited circle of people are meeting him in person.
In this context, the president's sudden disclosure of the meeting is seen as an attempt to highlight that he is a key figure who communicates directly with the supreme leader. Some also view it as a message by the moderate Pezeshkian aimed at demonstrating influence over hard-line forces such as the military.