Iran's new Supreme Leader Khamenei meets President Pezeshkian

TEHRAN, Iran — TEHRAN — Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, met with President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday, the Supreme Leader's official website said. It was the first publicly announced official engagement of his tenure, which began after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in a U.S. attack on Feb. 28, 2026. According to the website, the meeting coincided with the start of Pezeshkian's third year in office. The two reviewed the country's issues and challenges in detail, covering economic management, the armed forces, recent developments in the war, and strategies for securing resources. The leaders also examined options for expanding economic cooperation between Iran and external actors, the statement said. In a televised interview on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said communicating with the new Supreme Leader had become "extremely difficult" at this stage. Since Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role, he has not appeared publicly, and official statements have been issued only in written form.