Trump Anticipates Meeting With Iran’s Supreme Leader

President Donald Trump said he believes a face-to-face meeting with Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei could eventually take place, signaling optimism about ongoing diplomatic contacts despite the continuing conflict and the slow pace of negotiations.

During an appearance on Miranda Devine’s “Pod Force One” podcast, released Wednesday, Trump said Khamenei continues to play a central role in Iran’s decision-making process, even though he has remained out of public view since the war erupted on Feb. 28 following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was reportedly wounded during those attacks. Reports have also claimed that the strikes killed his father, Ali Khamenei, who had served as Iran’s supreme leader, along with other members of the family.

“He’s involved, absolutely,” Trump said. “Yeah, I think they have a lot of respect for him.”

Trump explained that Khamenei’s absence from public appearances has added complications to diplomatic efforts, requiring messages to be passed indirectly through intermediaries rather than through direct contact.

“I haven’t had the privilege of meeting him … If you believe the stories, he’s missing a lot of different parts,” Trump told Devine.

Even so, the president indicated that discussions between the two sides have continued to move forward and suggested that communication channels remain effective.

“They say he is giving approval because that’s the way it has been for a long, long time,” Trump said. “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 welcome a personal meeting with the Iranian leader, Trump responded positively and left open the possibility that such a meeting could occur in the future.

“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.”

Trump has long favored direct diplomacy with foreign leaders, including figures regarded as hostile to the United States, arguing that personal engagement can help reduce tensions and advance negotiations.

During his first term in office, he held three meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in an effort to address concerns over North Korea’s nuclear program. He also pursued plans to bring Taliban leaders to Camp David for peace talks, although that initiative was ultimately canceled.

The president’s latest remarks mark a notable change in tone from comments he made earlier about Mojtaba Khamenei. In the past, Trump criticized him sharply, referring to the Iranian leader as a “lightweight” and an “unacceptable” choice to lead Iran.

{Matzav.com}