Iranian president’s uncertain encounters with unseen supreme leader amid diplomatic talks

President Masoud Pezeshkian has had at least two reported meetings with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei since the leader assumed the post in March, including a brief voice‑only encounter in a dark, tinted vehicle that left the president unsure of the leader’s identity. State media confirmed a meeting in late July, while an earlier encounter in May was the first publicly acknowledged meeting since the succession. Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister announced that negotiations with Oman on new shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz are in their final phase, though Tehran says the strait will remain closed. In a separate development, the Supreme National Security Council added veteran IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei to its roster.