Iran's President Says Contact With Supreme Leader 'Very Difficult' Amid Rift Reports

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that establishing communication with the country's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has become "very difficult at the moment," amid reports of a rift between the top leadership.

Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after the latter was killed in a reported US-Israeli strike, has not appeared in public since assuming office. The 56-year-old cleric was wounded in the same attack that launched the ongoing Middle East conflict.

In remarks reported by the AFP news agency, Pezeshkian said, "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."

The younger Khamenei has communicated through written statements, but his low profile during a period of conflict with the United States has sparked speculation about his relations with other senior officials. Notably, he did not appear at his father's funeral ceremonies last month.

President Pezeshkian, however, defended the Supreme Leader, insisting that he had held productive meetings with him and had been met with "kindness and very sound logic." He added, "Unfortunately, the current situation allows some malicious people to describe him differently and to present a different image of him."

Pezeshkian's remarks come amid unconfirmed reports suggesting that Khamenei has issued a "final ultimatum" to the president and has aligned himself with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Ahmad Vahidi on key decisions regarding negotiations and the conflict.

Israeli broadcaster Channel 14, citing sources familiar with developments in Tehran, reported that Khamenei has effectively stripped President Pezeshkian of his primary political leverage by refusing to discourage another resignation attempt. According to the report, Pezeshkian had previously used the threat of resignation during policy disagreements with Iran's leadership and formally sought to resign in May, claiming his administration had been "entirely sidelined" from national security and foreign policy decisions.

Channel 14 claimed that Khamenei's latest position signals full alignment with Iran's military establishment, leaving the president with limited room to influence strategic policymaking. These claims have not been independently verified.