Did Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei agree to a potential deal with the US?

Amid US President Donald Trump’s statement that his administration was engaged in productive talks with the US, a report has emerged stating that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has approved talks and a potential deal with the US.

Mojtaba’s message was secretly relayed to US envoy Steve Witkoff, Al Arabiya reported on Tuesday.

The report, quoting sources, said the Supreme Leader agreed to end the war quickly in accordance with Iran’s condition. Mojtaba, who is said to be injured in the Israeli airstrike that killed his father and former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has not been seen in public since the attack. Israeli spy agency Mossad and the CIA are said to be searching for Mojtaba, who is allegedly undergoing treatment in Russia.

Though Trump claimed that both sides were close to an agreement under which Iran would agree not to seek nuclear weapons and would give up enrichment, Iran denied that talks were taking place. This comes as reports hint that Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey were engaged in talks with the US and Tehran to arrive at a potential deal.

However, three senior Israeli officials told Reuters that it is unlikely Tehran will accept US demands.

Iran has been continuously rubbishing claims about talks. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran had received messages from the United States through “friendly states” requesting negotiations, adding that appropriate responses were given [to those initiatives] as per the country’s fundamental positions.

A senior Iranian lawmaker told Iran International that there would be no negotiations with the United States and warned that Iran could escalate pressure in energy markets. Ali Nikzad, deputy speaker of parliament, said Washington had made a “strategic mistake” and failed to weaken Iran’s system, adding that the country would not return the Strait of Hormuz to normal conditions. “There is no negotiation,” he said.