U.S. Media: Trump Administration Assesses Possibility of Supporting Iranian Parliament Speaker to Take Power

Odaily News The Trump administration is secretly assessing the possibility of Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf as a potential partner, or even a future leader of Iran, signaling a shift in Trump's strategy from military pressure to ending the war through negotiation. The 64-year-old Ghalibaf has repeatedly threatened retaliation against the United States and its allies, but according to two government officials, at least some within the White House view him as a viable partner who could lead Iran in the next phase of the war and negotiate with the Trump administration. One government official said, "He is a good option," but emphasized that no decisions have been made yet. "He is one of the highest-level candidates. But we have to test them; we can't rush it." Ghalibaf denied on Monday having any negotiations with the United States, but government officials dismissed his comments as domestic political posturing. "We are in a testing phase, trying to figure out who can rise, who wants to rise, who is trying to rise," an official said. "When someone rises, we test them quickly. If they are too radical, we remove them." (Politico)