President Pezeshkian Addresses Leadership Crisis and Palestinian Support

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on August 6, 2026, that communicating with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is currently very difficult. The Supreme Leader has remained in hiding since being injured in a February 28 joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike in Tehran that killed his father, Ali Khamenei. Pezeshkian described the Supreme Leader as a source of strength during the most difficult period since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

These remarks come amid internal Iranian divisions between hard-liners and officials, including Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who favor a negotiated deal with the United States. This tension follows the collapse of a June 17 memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran. Tehran is currently in talks with Oman regarding a deal over the Strait of Hormuz to help end the conflict in West Asia.

Simultaneously, Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's diplomatic support for Palestinian leadership. In a phone call with Hamas political bureau head Khalil al-Hayya, the president stated that Tehran supports all decisions and initiatives regarding the future of Gaza. This occurs as Hamas awaits a response from the Board of Peace regarding the second phase of a roadmap established under the Cairo agreement, with Hamas officials attributing implementation delays to Israel.