Iranian negotiators operate under the direct guidance of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, according to senior government communications official Elias Hazrati.
Hazrati stated that Iran’s negotiation team “makes decisions collectively and carries out its duties under the direction” of Khamenei, emphasizing a centralized leadership structure in Tehran’s approach to ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Since assuming the position earlier in March following his father’s leadership, Khamenei has not appeared publicly or in recent photos or videos. According to reporting by BBC, only written messages attributed to him have been circulated in Iranian media.
So far, these messages have not explicitly addressed the ongoing negotiations. However, in several statements attributed to him, Khamenei has expressed criticism toward the United States.
In one such message published on April 18, he praised Iran’s military for confronting what he described as “two armies at the forefront of disbelief and global arrogance,” referring to the United States and Israel.
