Iranian Supreme Leader 85-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has remained silent on the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on January 21, instead choosing to visit an exhibition of private sector achievements.

The move by Khamenei to leave his house in the centre of Tehran signals a business-as-usual stance from the Iranian leader’s office as officials in the city continue to feel pressure from the new US Trump administration and its allies, including Israel. Trump, during his previous presidency, in particular, implemented hawkish policies against Iran during his previous term in office (2017-2021), which saw the collapse of the Iranian rial (IRR).

Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Tehran and several international powers, including the US and Russia. Following his 2017 pull-out, Washington quickly reimposed sweeping unilateral sanctions on Tehran. He also ordered the assassination of Iran’s top Quds Force commander, Qasem Soleimani, in Baghdad along with top commanders from Iraq’s paramilitary forces.

Following the Trump inauguration and avoiding the subject of the new US president, the Iranian supreme leader visited the “Pioneers of Progress,” held at the Imam Khomeini Hussainia, a public space next to Khamenei’s residence.

The local manufacturing event showcased the private sector's products, including technology, mining and geology, oil, gas and petrochemicals, steel and aluminium, medical and hospital equipment, pharmaceutical production, agriculture and animal husbandry.

A member of the Iranian leader’s top social media team on X posted, “Hours after Trump's official establishment in the White House and his bullying statements, the Revolutionary Leader visited the Pioneers of Progress exhibition for more than 120 minutes today and emphasized breaking the deadlock with a focus on the private sector.”

Despite Trump's previous comments saying he planned to resume his maximum pressure campaign when he returned to the White House, Iranian authorities have recently changed their tone and expressed openness to enter dialogue with international powers, including the US, to remove sanctions.

Ayatollah Khamenei had earlier banned any direct talks with the US, particularly mentioning the administration of Trump; however, in more recent times, he has permitted the new Pezeshkian administration to enter into negotiations with Europe over the country’s nuclear programme.

As with previous US presidents, no Iranian official has sent a congratulatory message since Trump's inauguration.

Meanwhile, Monaco-passport-holding former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi offered his congratulations to the Trump administration in a letter released on social media calling for a new agreement called the “Cyrus Accords” in his bid to take down the Islamic Republic from his Washington base.

In his letter, he wrote, “Mr. President, you have the opportunity to go beyond the groundbreaking Abraham Accords,” noting that Trump alone could transform Iran and the Middle East.