‘In testing phase…’: Trump administration has Iran’s parliamentary speaker in mind as US-backed leader

The Donald Trump administration reportedly has a new partner in mind to lead Iran after the war. This comes as Trump is reportedly inclining towards a negotiation instead of military pressure. 

According to a report in Politico, the Trump administration is weighing on Iranian parliamentary speaker, Mohammad ⁠Bagher Ghalibaf, as a possible partner. The 64-year-old has repeatedly threatened US and allies, but as per the report, is seen by some in the White House as a workable partner, someone who could lead Iran, as well as negotiate with the Trump administration. 

One official told the political news site that Ghalibaf is “a hot option”. The official said that the speaker was one of the “highest” but also acknowledged that they cannot rush into that decision just yet. “We got to test them,” said the official.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt however said that such “sensitive diplomatic discussions” will not be negotiated “through the news media”.

Another official, referring to the entire Venezuela saga, said that the idea was to install someone like Delcy Rodriguez, who was installed to lead the country after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The official said that such a leader will be kept there to work with the US and give Washington a good deal. 

But how instrumental the US is going to be to change the Iranian regime is unclear.

Trump said on Truth Social that the US and Iran held “very good and productive” conversations about a "complete and total resolution of hostilities” in West Asia, and then postponed his plan to hit Iran’s energy grid for five days. However, Iran denied having engaged in any negotiations. 

Many experts also do not see Ghalibaf being as pliant as Rodriguez. Ghalibaf himself said: “Iranian people demand complete and remorseful punishment of the aggressors. All Iranian officials stand firmly behind their supreme leader and people until this goal is achieved.No negotiations have been held with the US, and  fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.”

A European official also said that there has been no direct negotiations and that Egypt, Pakistan and Gulf states were all relaying messages. 

“We’re in the testing phase of really trying to figure out who can rise, who wants to rise, who tries to rise…And then as people rise, we’ll do a quick test, and if they’re radical, we’ll take them out,” said a US official.