Iran's state broadcaster announced on Wednesday that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has met parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf for talks on the war with the United States and Israel — a rare reported encounter with a leader unseen in public for over seven months.
State television said the two reviewed the latest developments in what it called the "military, economic and cognitive warfare" waged against Iran by Washington and Tel Aviv. The report gave no date or location and released no photographs or video, according to Al Arabiya English. The claim cannot be verified independently.
The timing is striking: it landed the same day Netanyahu told an election rally that the only way to end the Iranian threat was to topple the government in Tehran — and as the Financial Times reported Washington had blocked Israeli plans for fresh strikes on Iran.
Iran's Supreme Leader Meets Parliament Speaker: What Was Discussed
They discussed cooperation between the executive branch, led by President Masoud Pezeshkian, and parliament on Iran's economic difficulties, living conditions, and ties with Tehran's strategic partners.
Ghalibaf briefed the supreme leader on parliament's wartime work. A day earlier he had met Pakistan's visiting army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid Islamabad's renewed mediation push. Munir is in Tehran for talks aimed at reviving diplomacy.
On Tuesday, Iranian officials also restated that Tehran would not transfer enriched nuclear material abroad and that Washington must meet Iran's conditions before negotiations restart — the deadlock that has frozen talks for weeks.
Seven Months Without a Public Appearance
Mojtaba Khamenei became supreme leader on March 8, succeeding his father Ali Khamenei, killed in the joint US-Israeli strikes of February 28 that opened the war. Iranians have not seen their new leader since.
Senior sources have said he suffered facial disfigurement and other injuries in an airstrike, Arab News reported, and Iranian officials confirmed he was wounded. The silence has fuelled constant speculation about his health and his grip on power — speculation Wednesday's imageless announcement does nothing to settle.
Netanyahu: "Toppling This Regime" Is the Only Way
At a campaign rally in Dimona on Wednesday, in the final week of a tight re-election race, Netanyahu said the only way to remove the Iranian threat was to bring down its government.
"Iran wanted to destroy us; we stopped them. They wanted to produce nuclear bombs; we stopped them... Yet they persist," he told supporters. "Therefore, there is only one way to end this: by toppling this regime."
"This is the directive I have issued to the Israel Defense Forces, to the Mossad, and to all our security branches," he added — without saying when or how it would be carried out, Arab News reported, citing AFP. Defence Minister Israel Katz added that Iran was "at its weakest point ever" and warned: "If Iran attacks Israel, Iran will burn."
Trump Objected to Israeli Strike Plans, FT Reports
Netanyahu had instructed the Israeli military earlier this month to draw up plans for renewed strikes against Iran, according to sources cited by the Financial Times on Wednesday — but US President Donald Trump objected.
Trump has said publicly he does not intend to restart the war before next month's US mid-term elections. This week Netanyahu thanked Trump in a video message for endorsing him in the Israeli election, adding the two leaders have "a job to finish" in Iran.
The war keeps simmering: Iran claimed this week it downed another US MQ-9 over the Strait of Hormuz, while Qatar says back-channel contact between Tehran and Washington never fully stopped.
Why It Matters
Any reported contact with Mojtaba Khamenei is news because there has been almost none — the fog around Iran's top decision-maker shapes how enemies and mediators alike read Tehran's intentions. Netanyahu's "topple the regime" language pushes stated Israeli war aims from degrading Iran's capabilities to ending its government outright. And the reported American veto on new strikes exposes the alliance's fault line: Trump wants the war frozen until after the mid-terms; Netanyahu is campaigning on finishing it.
What Happens Next
Watch for any visual evidence from Tehran — even one photograph of Khamenei would be the first in over seven months. On the military track, the question is whether Israel acts on Netanyahu's directive despite Trump's objections, with Hormuz still effectively closed and oil prices high.
Key Takeaways
- Iranian state TV reported Wednesday that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei met parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to discuss the US-Israeli war — with no photos, video, or details released.
- Khamenei has not been seen in public since becoming supreme leader on March 8, after his father was killed in the February 28 US-Israeli strikes.
- Netanyahu told a Dimona rally that toppling Iran's government is "the only way" to end the threat, saying he issued the directive to the IDF and Mossad.
- The Financial Times reported Trump objected to Israeli plans for renewed strikes; Trump says he won't restart the war before the US mid-terms.
- Israel's defence minister called Iran "at its weakest point ever" and warned: "If Iran attacks Israel, Iran will burn."
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Mojtaba Khamenei is the son of the late Ali Khamenei and became Iran's supreme leader on March 8, 2026, after his father was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28. He has not appeared in public since taking office, and Iranian officials have confirmed he was wounded in the strikes.
Did the meeting with Ghalibaf actually happen?
Iranian state television reported it and multiple international outlets carried the claim, but no photographs, video, or details of when or where it took place were released. With no independent confirmation, it should be treated as a state-media claim rather than a verified event.
What did Khamenei and Ghalibaf discuss?
According to state television, they reviewed the "military, economic and cognitive warfare" waged by the United States and Israel against Iran, and discussed cooperation between President Pezeshkian's executive branch and parliament on economic hardship, living conditions, and relations with strategic partners.
What did Netanyahu say about toppling Iran's government?
At a Dimona rally on Wednesday, Netanyahu said "there is only one way to end this: by toppling this regime," adding he had issued that directive to the IDF, the Mossad, and all security branches. He did not say when or how it would be carried out.
Did Trump block Israeli strikes on Iran?
According to sources cited by the Financial Times on Wednesday, Netanyahu instructed Israel's military earlier this month to plan renewed strikes on Iran, but President Trump objected. Trump has publicly said he does not intend to restart the war before next month's US mid-term elections.
Why has Khamenei not been seen since March?
Senior sources cited by Arab News said he suffered facial disfigurement and other injuries in an airstrike, and Iranian officials confirmed he was wounded. Tehran has given no official explanation for his continued absence from public view, which has fuelled speculation about his health.
What is the current state of the Iran war?
The war began with US-Israeli strikes on February 28. Eight months on, Hormuz stays effectively closed to most shipping, nuclear talks are stalled, and both sides trade threats while avoiding — for now — a full resumption of major strikes.
By GlobalDeskNews Staff
Sources
- Al Arabiya English — "Iran says parliament speaker met unseen Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei" (October 21, 2026): english.alarabiya.net
- Arab News (with AFP) — "Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei meets parliament speaker Qalibaf, state broadcaster IRIB reports" (October 21, 2026): arabnews.com
- Tehran Times — "Parliament Speaker Qalibaf meets Leader of the Islamic Revolution" (October 21, 2026): tehrantimes.com
- Daily Sabah — "Iran's Ghalibaf meets Khamenei amid US-Israel tensions" (October 21, 2026): dailysabah.com