Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, stated in a televised interview that communicating with Mojtaba Khamenei is currently “very difficult.” He also revealed that 12 out of 13 members of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) voted in favor of a memorandum of understanding with the United States.
Recorded by the Presidential Office on the evening of August 5, 2026, to mark Pezeshkian’s second anniversary in office and broadcast on the IRIB News Channel, the interview marked his first public comments on SNSC decision-making following Mojtaba Khamenei’s ascension as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.
Pezeshkian noted that the Supreme Leader had previously stipulated that he would accept any proposal approved by a three-quarters majority of SNSC members.
He added that, of the council’s 13 members, 12 voted to approve the memorandum of understanding with the United States. The signing of this memorandum has emerged in recent months as a key point of contention among government factions and a target of criticism from opponents of the administration.
Addressing access to the Supreme Leader, the Iranian President remarked: “Currently, reaching Mojtaba Khamenei is very difficult, but his presence gives us reassurance.”
