The man reportedly being proposed by the Trump administration as a possible interlocutor with Iran is also one of the regime’s most hardline figures: Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The former Revolutionary Guard commander is widely described by experts as a loyal “yes man,” with a record of threats against the United States and deep ties to the system’s inner circle.
That contradiction underlines the central question facing American policymakers: Even if Washington speaks to the “right people,” as President Donald Trump has claimed, can someone like Ghalibaf actually deliver results?
“Ghalibaf has no independent line. His strength is that he is a yes man,” said Beni Sabti, an Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies. He added: “If he is told to shake hands with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, he will. If he is told to escalate, he will.. It’s not about moderation, it’s about who gives the orders.”
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Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf speaks during a public event in Iran in 2024 (Hossein Beris/Middle East Images/Middle East Images via AFP)
Director insider
Ghalibaf, 64, is a product of Iran’s security establishment.
He rose through the ranks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps during the Iran-Iraq War, eventually becoming commander of the IRGC Air Force.
“He even underwent flight training abroad, which was not unusual at the time, with France reportedly assisting at one point. Until recently, he was still flying training flights in France,” Sabti said.
He later served as head of Iran’s National Police, where, together with Qassem Soleimani, he oversaw internal security forces responsible for suppressing protests, including the 1999 student uprising.
After switching to politics, Ghalibaf tried to run for president several times, but failed. Instead, he built his career on loyalty to the system. He served as mayor of Tehran for more than ten years before becoming speaker of parliament in 2020.
“Ghalibaf went on to hold high national positions and is now chairman of parliament. He has consistently aligned himself with the supreme leader and follows directives rather than taking his own independent positions,” Sabti said.
“His name has also been linked to multiple allegations of corruption, including misuse of oil revenues and sanctions evasion networks involving his family. His sons have reportedly been involved and are under sanctions,” Sabti said, adding: “There have also been public scandals involving family members traveling abroad and making luxury purchases, including widespread images of them arriving with numerous luxury Gucci suitcases.”
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Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf listens as MPs sing in support of the IRGC in Tehran, Iran, February 1, 2026. (Hamed Malekpour/Islamic Consultative Assembly news agency/West Asia News Agency/Handout via Reuters)
Limited authority
Ghalibaf’s wartime statements reflect a hardened tone within Iran’s leadership.
He has rejected terms for a ceasefire and stated that Iran would continue fighting “until the enemy truly regrets its aggression.”
He has also warned that attacks on Iranian infrastructure would trigger retaliation across the region, including against energy targets.
At the same time, he has publicly denied any negotiations with the United States, calling reports of the talks “fake news” and accusing Washington of manipulating markets.
In remarks broadcast on Iranian television on January 12, 2026, he warned that US forces would face catastrophic consequences if they confronted Iran. “Come so you can see the catastrophe befalling American bases, ships and forces,” he said, adding that American troops would be “burned by the fire of the Iranian defenders.”
In the same comments, broadcast and translated by MEMRI, he described the US president as “delusional and arrogant,” and framed Iranian ideology as a growing global movement.
Recently it has escalated further. He warned that “the blood of American soldiers is Trump’s personal responsibility” and promised that Iran would “settle scores with the Americans and Israelis,” adding that “Trump and Netanyahu have crossed our red lines and will pay the price.”
He has also threatened retaliation against regional energy infrastructure, signaling a willingness to expand the conflict beyond direct military confrontation.
Not the decision maker
“If you want to speak to someone in Iran, he is probably the point of contact,” he said. “But he doesn’t decide anything. Even if he wants to do something, he has to get the approval of the IRGC and the top leadership.”
Sabti said: “Some point to periods during Rouhani’s presidency when he appeared to align himself with Rouhani and describe him as somewhat moderate, but that is misleading.”
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A man lights a cigarette with fire from a burning photo of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as Israelis gather in support of the nationwide protests taking place in Iran, in Holon, Israel, January 14, 2026. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)
A system that makes deals more difficult
Analysts say the bigger problem is not Ghalibaf himself, but the system in which he operates.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said: “Those who see the rise of someone like Ghalibaf, an IRGC veteran, as an expansion of power beyond his traditional civilian role have missed how personality, not profession, has been the driving force in Iranian politics for decades. Those who focus on IRGC backgrounds in the Supreme National Security Council may also overlook the fact that recent secretaries – Shamkhani, Larijani and Ahmadian – all had IRGC backgrounds.”
“Today’s system is more radical and decentralized,” Citrinowicz agreed. “It’s not one person. It’s multiple actors you have to work with, which makes negotiating much more difficult.”
“I’m not saying it’s impossible, because this is still the Middle East, but it will be very difficult to reach an agreement with them, let alone an agreement that reflects the same demands that the US made before the war. There is no way they will agree to that,” he added.
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On March 10, 2026, a billboard featuring Iran’s top leaders is displayed above a highway in Tehran. (AFP/via Getty Images)
Citrinowicz said the regime sees itself as having the upper hand. “From Iran’s perspective, they are winning, not losing. They are using their strategic capabilities and effectively threatening a chokepoint in the global economy, namely the Strait of Hormuz. That only reinforces the radicalization taking place within the regime. Under those circumstances, they will be the ones making demands on Trump, and not the other way around.”
Even if talks were to take place, he said, Ghalibaf would not be able to commit Iran without broader approval.
