Archive · 9 Aug 2026
Pezeshkian Meets New Supreme Leader Amid Iran's Difficulties
In Iran, there is a leader called the President and also a very important religious leader called the Supreme Leader.
The President, Masoud Pezeshkian, met the Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on a Saturday.
They talked about problems in the country, like what people need for their everyday lives.
Iran has been going through very hard times, including war and sanctions that make it difficult to trade with other countries.
The President said that the United States and Israel hurt Iran by killing its old Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on February 28.
He said they expected Iran to fall apart, but it did not.
Instead, a group called the Assembly of Experts picked Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, to be the new Supreme Leader in early March.
The President said talking with the new leader is hard right now, but having him is a great strength for Iran.
Iran's foreign minister also said Iran is not negotiating with the United States until the U.S. fixes its side of the agreement.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday to discuss the country's problems, especially people's livelihood needs.
Pezeshkian said communication with Khamenei is 'difficult at the moment' but called his presence 'a great strength' for Iran.
Pezeshkian said the United States and Israel killed former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on February 28 out of 'desperation,' expecting Iran to collapse.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, was chosen as Iran's new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts in early March.
Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Aragchi said there are no negotiations with the United States, and talks cannot resume until the U.S. ends its violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
- Who
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian; Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei; Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Aragchi (on U.S. relations).
- What
- Pezeshkian met the Supreme Leader to discuss the country's problems, including livelihood needs, the conflict's current conditions, resources, expenditure, energy, and economic interaction with foreign countries; Aragchi separately said Iran has no negotiations with the United States.
- When
- Saturday (president-Supreme Leader meeting); Wednesday (Pezeshkian's remarks); Sunday (Aragchi's remarks).
- Where
- Tehran, Iran (meeting); Centre for Political and International Studies of Iran's Foreign Ministry (Aragchi's remarks).
- Why
- To address Iran's problems amid what Pezeshkian called its 'most difficult' circumstances, including banking sanctions, restrictions on foreign transactions, a naval blockade, and an ongoing conflict.
- Iranian President
- Masoud Pezeshkian
- Supreme Leader
- Mojtaba Khamenei, selected by the Assembly of Experts in early March
- Former Supreme Leader
- Ali Khamenei, described by Pezeshkian as killed by the U.S. and Israel on February 28
- Foreign Minister
- Seyyed Abbas Aragchi
- Meeting location
- Tehran
- US-Iran negotiations
- None currently; intermediaries still seeking ways to resume talks
- Condition for talks
- U.S. must end MoU violations and make amends
- Reporting agencies
- Mehr, Tasnim and Xinhua news agencies