Iran has downplayed US President Donald Trump’s expressed interest in meeting Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi describing such a possibility as “unrealistic.”
In a recent interview with the New York Post, Trump said he would be willing to meet Mojtaba Khamenei if circumstances allowed. “Yes, I would like to meet him,” the US president said, suggesting that such a meeting could take place depending on future developments.
However, in an interview with Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television channel on Thursday night, Araghchi effectively ruled out the prospect. Referring to reports about Trump’s willingness to hold talks, the Iranian foreign minister said the issue should be viewed through a realistic lens.
“I saw a report saying that he (Trump) is prepared for a meeting or wants to hold one. I think we should be realistic and think and live in the real world,” Araghchi said.
According to Araghchi, Mojtaba Khamenei has been actively overseeing domestic affairs and exercising full authority over state decision-making. He added that, for security reasons, the Iranian leader has maintained a limited public profile since assuming office.
Araghchi also revealed that he was inside the same building housing the Supreme Leader’s office during the deadly attack that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He said he escaped unharmed because he was in another section of the complex.
Although a fragile ceasefire that took effect on April 8 has temporarily halted direct hostilities between Iran and its adversaries, regional tensions remain high.
Following Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death, Iran launched a large-scale response, carrying out missile and drone attacks against Israel and US allies in the Persian Gulf region. Subsequent mediation efforts led to direct and indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran, but no lasting agreement has yet been reached.
Analysts say that despite the ceasefire, diplomatic and military tensions between Iran and the United States have not fully subsided, leaving uncertainty over the future course of relations between the two countries.