US Media: Trump Administration Assesses Potential Support for Iran's Parliament Speaker

On March 24, the Trump administration is secretly evaluating Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as a potential partner—even a possible future Iranian leader—signaling Trump’s shift from military pressure to a negotiation-focused strategy to end the conflict. The 64-year-old Ghalibaf has repeatedly threatened retaliation against the U.S. and its allies, but two administration officials say at least some White House aides view him as a viable partner who could steer Iran through the conflict’s next phase and negotiate with the Trump team. One official called him “a solid option” but emphasized no final decision has been made: “He’s among the top candidates. But we need to vet them—we can’t rush this.” Ghalibaf denied holding talks with the U.S. on Monday, but administration officials downplayed his remarks as a domestic political maneuver. “We’re in a vetting phase right now—figuring out who can rise, who wants to rise, who’s angling to rise,” another official said. “When someone emerges, we’ll vet them quickly. If they’re too radical, we’ll move on.” (Politico)