Iran President Says He Met Mojtaba Khamenei in Darkness, Unsure If It Was Really Him: Report

Iran President Reportedly Met Mojtaba Khamenei in Darkness, Later Questioned If It Was Really Him

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly held a highly unusual meeting with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei at a secret location in Tehran, but later questioned whether the person he spoke to was actually Khamenei, according to a report by Iran International.

The report claims Pezeshkian was taken to an undisclosed location, where he was escorted into a vehicle with heavily tinted windows. The meeting allegedly took place in near-total darkness, preventing the two men from seeing each other. The interaction reportedly lasted only a few minutes, after which the president left without being allowed to shake hands with the Supreme Leader.

According to sources cited by the publication, Pezeshkian later privately asked whether the voice he heard during the meeting truly belonged to Mojtaba Khamenei.

Meeting Allegedly Secured After Resignation Threats

The report claims the meeting came only after Pezeshkian repeatedly requested an audience with Khamenei and allegedly threatened to resign over differences with the country’s leadership.

Instead of receiving him at the Supreme Leader’s official residence, Khamenei’s office reportedly arranged the meeting at a secret location, an unusual departure from established protocol.

Sources in the president’s office described the encounter as humiliating for Pezeshkian, who later sought a second meeting at Khamenei’s residence. That request was reportedly denied.

President Publicly Described Talks as ‘Cordial’

The reported account contrasts sharply with Pezeshkian’s public remarks in May, when he told representatives of trade associations that he had spent more than two hours with Mojtaba Khamenei in a cordial atmosphere.

The Iranian president has also acknowledged that communication with the Supreme Leader has become increasingly difficult.

“It is very difficult to communicate with him at the moment, but his presence is a great source of strength for us,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying by AFP.

He also defended Khamenei against criticism, saying he had always been treated with “kindness and very sound logic” during their interactions.

Claims of Rift Within Iran’s Leadership

According to the report, Pezeshkian had repeatedly threatened to resign after complaining that his administration had been sidelined on major national security and foreign policy decisions.

Israeli media reports have claimed Mojtaba Khamenei later issued a “final ultimatum” to the president while backing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ahmad Vahidi on key strategic decisions, further limiting Pezeshkian’s influence.

• These claims have not been independently verified.
• Mojtaba Khamenei Remains Largely Out of Public View

Mojtaba Khamenei has largely remained out of public view since succeeding his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He has issued only written statements, which have been read by Iranian state media without any public appearances.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also acknowledged in July that only a limited number of people had met the Supreme Leader during this period.

Adding to the speculation, US President Donald Trump recently claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei was “90 per cent gone,” though he did not provide evidence to support the assertion.

Neither the Iranian presidency nor the office of the Supreme Leader has publicly commented on the reported details of the alleged secret meeting.