Mojtaba Khamenei hard to contact, Iran president says

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that communication with Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “very difficult at the moment,” as Khamenei remains out of public view after being wounded in the US-Israeli strike that began the Middle East war.

“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,” Pezeshkian said.

Khamenei succeeded his father, who was killed in the same attack. He has communicated through written statements but has not appeared in public, including at his father's funeral ceremonies last month.

Pezeshkian defended Khamenei, saying he had been able to hold productive meetings with him and had been met with “kindness and very sound logic”. He said the current situation had allowed “malicious people” to present a different image of the leader.