Iran’s president says it’s ‘very difficult’ to contact absent Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei

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Khamenei hasn’t been seen publicly since taking up the role, most notably failing to attend his own father’s public funeral proceedings in Tehran last month.

Arbaeen Commemoration In Tehran Amid Tensions Between Iran And U.S.

A man holds portraits of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, at a rally in Tehran on Tuesday.Morteza Nikoubazl / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Aug. 6, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT

By Alexander Smith

On one side, the inescapable presence of President Donald Trump. On the other, an Iranian supreme leader whose absence is conspicuous while his nation is locked in a military and diplomatic standoff that could define the future of the Middle East.

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