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President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has remained in contact with Iranian officials since the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, two sources familiar with the matter said, as the administration continues to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
But his efforts are facing significant challenges from Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been extremely difficult for Iranian officials to contact after he retreated to a hiding place amid rising tensions, the sources said.
American officials have come to understand that the 86-year-old Khamenei will have to approve any major diplomatic decisions. But getting information from him has become more difficult.
This has left communications between the U.S. and the Iranians, either directly or through intermediaries, somewhat disrupted, officials said.
Khamenei has not given a recorded message since the US strikes. And US officials believe he is hiding amid the ongoing conflict to avoid assassination.
However, Trump said he hopes that after the weekend attacks, Iran will return to negotiations that had largely stalled before Israel began its attacks this month.
The United States and Iran have maintained secret communications throughout the current crisis. Officials said that before the weekend attacks, the United States conveyed a message that actions would be restrained and that Trump was still seeking to resolve the issue diplomatically.
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