Trump: US isn’t negotiating with Iran’s supreme leader

President Trump said on Monday that he has not been in contact with Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei during ongoing negotiations with the country. 

“We’re dealing with a man, who I believe is the most respected and the leader,” Trump told reporters in Palm Beach, Fla. 

“We have not heard from the son,” he said, referring to Khamenei.

“Every once in a while you’ll see a statement made [from Khamenei] but we don’t know if he’s living,” Trump said. 

“But the people that seem to be running it, and they seem that based on really fact, because things they’ve said have taken place,” he continued. 

The president said his top envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spoke with their Iranian counterparts on Sunday. 

However, Trump declined to say to whom Witkoff was speaking, saying he did not want them to be killed. 

“Nobody wants that job right now. Nobody’s exactly looking forward to being the head of that particular country, but perhaps we’ll be able to solve that problem,” he said. 

Trump’s comments come after he announced earlier on Monday that U.S. strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure would halt for five days after “very good” and “productive” with Iranian officials. 

Iranian state media described the president’s announcement as Trump “backing down” while denying talks were taking place between the two sides.

When asked what his response was to Iran’s foreign minister saying the president was not being truthful about the talks, Trump said, “they’re going to have to get themselves better public relations people. 

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