**Ongoing indirect US-Iran diplomacy amid the post-February 2026 conflict shapes prospects for direct Trump-Mojtaba Khamenei contact.** US strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and reportedly injured his son Mojtaba led to the latter’s appointment as Iran’s new supreme leader in March, though he has remained out of public view with conflicting reports on his health and authority. President Trump has repeatedly signaled openness to engagement, stating in June that he would like to meet Khamenei “at some point, depending on how it all works out,” while Iranian officials have ruled out immediate leader-level talks and emphasized that any negotiations must protect Tehran’s core positions on sanctions, the Strait of Hormuz, and nuclear issues. Recent developments include US rejection of Iran’s September 2026 proposal for rapid Hormuz reopening tied to sanctions relief and asset unfreezing, alongside mediated lower-level meetings on the UNGA sidelines involving envoys such as Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. These talks produced no breakthrough on direct presidential or supreme-leader communication. Structural factors—Khamenei’s institutional role, ongoing military tensions, and both sides’ stated red lines—continue to limit the likelihood of a personal conversation in the near term, though scheduled follow-up diplomatic contacts could alter trajectories if they advance to higher levels.