Does Trump know Mojtaba Khamenei's whereabouts? Here's what US president said

Donald Trump says Iran's new leadership is more pragmatic than before and that Mojtaba Khamenei is involved in discussions on a potential deal.

In Short

• Trump hints he may know whereabouts of Mojtaba Khamenei but stays silent
• Trump calls Mojtaba more rational and involved in deal talks
• Khamenei adviser denies any meeting with Trump will happen soon

The whereabouts of Iran's supreme leader have become a subject of growing speculation, and US President Donald Trump only deepened the mystery when he said he may know where Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is, but refused to say more.

In an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," Trump said he would be willing to speak directly with Mojtaba Khamenei and hinted that US intelligence may be closely tracking his movements.

"I don't want to say whether or not I know where he is," Trump said. "But there's a good probability that I do."

US-Israel jointly launched strikes on Iran on February 28. The Donald Trump administration has been trying to negotiate a potential peace deal for weeks.

TRUMP CALLS KHAMENEI 'MORE RATIONAL'

Trump described Iran's new leadership as more pragmatic than before and said Mojtaba Khamenei is involved in discussions on a potential agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Iran's Supreme Leader has remained out of public view since reports emerged that he was wounded during the attack, which killed his father Ali Khamenei. His absence has fuelled speculation about his condition and whereabouts.

Asked whether he would speak directly with Khamenei, Trump said he was open to the idea.

"I would if he'd like to," Trump said, adding that he had not yet spoken with him directly.

The US President also compared Mojtaba Khamenei favourably with his late father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

"Younger. I think more rational," Trump said. He also claimed that the Iranian leader had suffered serious injuries but continued to play a role in decision-making.

"Injured. He's pretty badly injured," Trump said. "So there's a certain bravery there."

NUCLEAR DEAL TALKS APPEAR TO BE ADVANCING

Trump's comments came as negotiations between the US and Iran continue over a possible long-term agreement. According to NBC News, Trump said both sides are "very close" to reaching a pact, though several issues still need to be resolved.

He also outlined what could happen to Iran's highly enriched uranium if a deal is reached. According to the US President, his team would work alongside Iran to remove and destroy the material.

MOJTABA WILL NOT MEET TRUMP

However, a senior adviser to Mojtaba Khamenei dismissed the possibility of any meeting with US President Donald Trump, despite Trump's recent remarks that he would be "honoured" to meet the Iranian leader.

"This will not happen, right now we are in the first stage of negotiations and Trump has brought the negotiations to a standstill. This will not happen," Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Khamenei, said.

Amid Islamabad's efforts to de-escalate tensions between the US and Iran after the latest flare-up in the Middle East, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and handed him a "written message" from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for Iranian Supreme Leader, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.

The contents of the message were not disclosed. Pakistani officials have said Islamabad has been working, alongside regional partners such as Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, to help narrow differences between the US and Iran and support diplomatic efforts between the two nations.

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