Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian held a seven-hour meeting on August 9 or 10 focusing on national unity, livelihoods, employment, housing, and the impact of sanctions, officials said [1, 2, 3, 4].
President Pezeshkian described Khamenei's physical condition as "full health" and said maintaining unity and cohesion was the Supreme Leader's top priority. "Physically, he was in full health," Pezeshkian said, adding, "Maintaining unity and cohesion was the most important advice that the Supreme Leader of the Revolution emphasized" [3, 4]. He also discussed the problems caused by international sanctions on Iran's economy [2].
Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as Supreme Leader in March 2026 by the Assembly of Experts following the killing of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in US and Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026 [2]. Since his appointment, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly until this meeting with Pezeshkian, marking his first reported extended discussion with Iran's president [2].
The meeting comes amid fallout from the military conflict between Iran and the US that began in February 2026. A ceasefire was agreed in April 2026, followed by a peace memorandum signed in June. The agreement collapsed in July leading to renewed attacks before US President Donald Trump halted bombardment amid ongoing talks [3, 4].
President Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Khamenei's recent discussions highlight efforts to address pressing domestic issues despite international tensions. The meeting lasting seven hours reflected the leadership's focus on securing national cohesion and addressing economic challenges caused by sanctions [1, 2, 3, 4].
