Mojtaba Khamenei Makes First Public and Media Appearance

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei met with President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday to discuss the latest developments in Iran’s economic, military, and defence situation. The meeting marked Khamenei’s first appearance before the public and media after spending the past five months behind the scenes. “The Leader of the Islamic Revolution met and spoke with the President about economic and military issues,” read a statement on the Iranian leader’s Telegram channel. The statement noted that the two discussed a wide range of state issues and problems, particularly ensuring the fulfilment of the people’s basic needs, the current situation of the ‘imposed Third War’ with a view to the future, and developments in the military field. Khamenei and Pezeshkian discussed Iran’s economic and financial situation, specifically the state of the national currency, the rial, the energy sector, and Iran’s economic cooperation with foreign countries, according to the Supreme Leader’s media. The statement emerged after a video featuring Khamenei circulated in Iranian media. Previously, Khamenei had not appeared in public or in the media for five months, since the start of the conflict between Iran and the United States. The statement itself did not comment on the emergence of the video featuring Khamenei.