Iran's President Describes Interaction with Supreme Leader as 'Very Difficult'

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has described interaction with the country's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, as "very difficult" in a state television interview, sparking further speculation about Khamenei's health and prolonged public absence since a US-Israeli air strike in February killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has not been seen publicly since assuming the role, fueling widespread rumors about his condition. Top Iranian officials previously told The New York Times that Khamenei suffered grave injuries, including severe facial burns and a need for a prosthetic leg, but was in good mental health. However, the Iranian regime later downplayed these injuries, describing them as a "small scratch" behind his ear, with full health aside from kneecap and back injuries.

The lack of official videos or audio from Khamenei has raised concerns, with one Iranian media outlet suggesting this silence is to protect his whereabouts and condition. Khamenei, a hardline cleric with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is advised by powerful scholars from Qom, where he trained. He served in the Iranian military during the Iran-Iraq War from 1987 to 1988.

Meanwhile, President Pezeshkian announced Tehran's support for any Palestinian leadership initiative in indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, according to state media. Additionally, there are reports that Khamenei warned Pezeshkian he would accept the president's resignation if resubmitted, after Pezeshkian previously sought to step down citing inability to fulfill constitutional duties.