IRANIAN President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has disclosed that communication with Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was "very difficult at the moment," following his reported injuries during the United States (US)-Israeli strike that killed his father.
Pezeshkian, however, defended the leader against rising speculation over his absence from public view.
Khamenei, who was wounded in the US-Israeli strike that launched the Middle East war, has not appeared in public since succeeding his father, who was killed in the same attack. He was absence from his father’s funeral ceremonies last month.
"It is very difficult to communicate with him at the moment, but in any case, his presence is a very great source of strength for us, so that we can continue," Pezeshkian said.
According to AFP, the younger Khamenei has communicated through written statements, but his low profile at a time when Iran is in conflict with the US has led to speculation about his relations with other top officials.
Pezeshkian defended his leader, however, insisting he had been able to hold productive meetings with him and been met with "kindness and very sound logic," adding: "Unfortunately, the current situation allows some malicious people to describe him differently and to present a different image of him."
