US-Iran diplomacy remains shaped by the 2026 conflict that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and installed his son Mojtaba in March, followed by a June memorandum of understanding between Presidents Trump and Pezeshkian that launched 60-day indirect negotiations but later faced violations, ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, and hard-line resistance in Tehran. Trump has publicly signaled conditional openness to engaging Mojtaba Khamenei if a broader deal emerges, while Iranian officials including Foreign Minister Araghchi and adviser Mohsen Rezaei have rejected any direct meeting as unrealistic. As of mid-September, reports highlight internal power struggles, uncertainty over Mojtaba Khamenei’s health and location, and renewed escalation risks that continue to limit prospects for high-level personal contact.