Iranian President could not confirm identity of Supreme Leader during secret meeting - report
According to the report, the meeting lasted only a few minutes, contradicting previous public accounts that described a two-and-a-half-hour meeting between the two leaders in May
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reportedly taken to a secret meeting with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei under extraordinary security measures that prevented him from seeing or even confirming the identity of the person he met, according to a report by Iran International.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the outlet reported that Pezeshkian was driven to an undisclosed location in Tehran, separated from his security detail and placed in the back of a vehicle with blacked-out windows. The interior of the vehicle was reportedly kept completely dark throughout the meeting, and security personnel allegedly prevented the president from shaking hands with the individual he was meeting.
According to the report, the meeting lasted only a few minutes, contradicting previous public accounts that described a two-and-a-half-hour meeting between the two leaders in May. Iran International said the exact date of the reported encounter has not been disclosed.
The report further claims that Khamenei's office agreed to the meeting only after Pezeshkian repeatedly requested it and threatened to resign. Afterward, the president allegedly told associates that he could not verify whether the person beside him was in fact Mojtaba Khamenei, saying he heard only a voice in the darkness.
Iran International also reported that Pezeshkian later sought another meeting with the supreme leader at his official residence, but the request was rejected. The president reportedly renewed his threat to resign, citing growing influence by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps over state affairs.
Separately, Iranian media reported this week that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei granted Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi expanded authority over strategic decision-making, a move that reportedly further reduced the influence of the civilian government.
Questions surrounding Mojtaba Khamenei's public visibility have persisted since he assumed Iran's top leadership about five months ago. No authenticated photographs, video footage or public speeches have been released during that period, with official statements appearing only in written form. His absence from the funeral of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, also fueled speculation regarding his whereabouts.
Government newspaper Hamshahri has defended the secrecy, saying the restrictions are intended to prevent foreign intelligence agencies from identifying the supreme leader's location through audio or other intelligence. Iranian authorities have not publicly commented on the Iran International report.