Trump Predicts Future Meeting With Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Amid Ongoing Peace Talks
President Trump said in a “Pod Force One” interview released Wednesday that he expects to eventually meet Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei as negotiations between Washington and Tehran continue despite repeated setbacks.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has not appeared publicly since the Iran war began Feb. 28 following surprise US-Israeli airstrikes that reportedly injured him and killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with several family members.
“He’s involved, absolutely. Yeah, I think they have a lot of respect for him,” Trump told Miranda Devine during the interview.
The president explained that communications with Tehran have been slowed by Iran’s cumbersome internal system, with messages reportedly being passed through physical couriers because of security concerns surrounding the Iranian leader.
“I haven’t had the privilege of meeting him… If you believe the stories, he’s missing a lot of different parts,” Trump said.
“They say he is giving approval, because that’s the way it has been for a long, long time. His father and then him, I guess it’s a succession. But we seem to be getting along quite well.”
Asked directly whether he expected to meet Khamenei in person, Trump responded positively.
“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,” he said.
Trump has long embraced direct diplomacy with America’s adversaries, arguing that personal engagement can reduce tensions and produce results traditional diplomacy often cannot.
During his first term, Trump famously exchanged what he called “love letters” with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and met with him three times in efforts to cool nuclear tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
He also explored the possibility of hosting Taliban leaders at Camp David during negotiations over ending America’s involvement in Afghanistan, though that proposal was ultimately scrapped.
Trump’s recent comments marked a notable shift in tone toward Mojtaba Khamenei.
Earlier in the conflict, Trump reportedly dismissed the Iranian leader as a “lightweight” and questioned whether he was an acceptable successor to lead Iran.
The president had also joked privately about intelligence reports suggesting Mojtaba was “probably gay,” according to reports citing briefings Trump received from intelligence officials earlier this year.
Those intelligence assessments allegedly claimed the Iranian leader maintained a long-term romantic relationship with a childhood tutor, though the information remains unconfirmed publicly.
Despite ongoing tensions and stalled negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities, Trump has continued signaling optimism that a broader peace agreement can eventually be reached.